Maharani Mancanagara, or known as Rani, is an Indonesian artist whose works explore and reinterpret Indonesia’s complex and sometimes sensitive issues of modern sociopolitical and cultural history through fictional storytelling. She studied printmaking at Institut Teknologi Bandung where she began to utilize drawing, print, and the installation often time on wooden surfaces. 

Rani’s interest towards history began when she discovered her grandfather’s diary, which led her into a journey of intertwining a plethora of personal histories that reflect larger socio-political dynamics of 20th century Indonesia. In her research, she often encountered intriguing personal narratives, often imbued of the source’s own subjectivity, which offers an alternative view towards documented history as well as revealing its complex layers.  

In 2018, Rani held her solo exhibition titled “Zero Sum Game” at Galeri Soemardja, Bandung. The exhibition presents works centered around the Hikayat Wanatentrem series, a fictional fable that offers the audience alternative history based on the stories of political prisoners at Pulau Buru after 1965. Through these fictional fairytales, Rani subtly addresses a sensitive political issue that has been polarizing the nation for decades and invites us to question the widely accepted historical narratives, which are often written by those in power and left the minorities estranged. Rani challenges the historical narratives by reconstructing them in her rendition through metaphors and allegories.

Selected Exhibitions 

Solo Exhibitions 

2017. Parodi Partikelir, Visma Gallery, Surabaya – Indonesia 

2018. Zero Sum Game, Galeri Soemardja, Bandung – Indonesia  

Selected Group Exhibitions 

2023  

• Sharjah Biennial 15 : Think Historically in Present, Khorfakkan Art Centre, Sharjah, 

United Arab Emirates o Intentions in Manifold Dimensions, Gallery Ruang Dini, Bandung – Indonesia 

2022  

• Reverberation: From the Past to the Present, ISA Art & Design, Jakarta – Indonesia o Seni Baru : New Art from Bali & Bandung, 16thAlbermarle Project Space, Sydney – 

Australia o Tacit, duo exhibition, Artsphere Gallery, Jakarta – Indonesia o To Each Their Own, Cheongju Museum of Art, Cheongju – South Korea 

• Titicara, Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung – Indonesia o Distrik Seni : Berkelanjutan!, Sarinah, Jakarta – Indonesia o Our Grandfather Road, 16th Albermarle, Sydney – Australia o Paperwork 1 : Universality, Artsphere Gallery, Jakarta – Indonesia o Across The Time, Cans Gallery, Jakarta – Indonesia 

2021  o Stories Across Rising Lands, Museum MACAN, Jakarta – Indonesia  o HBdM Exhibition, Ciputra Artpreneur, Jakarta – Indonesia  o #Perempuan2021, Castlemaine Art Museum, Victoria – Australia  o Influx : Extended, Ruang Dini, Bandung- Indonesia  o Sensing Sensation, Semarang Gallery, Semarang – Indonesia  

• Jakarta Biennale : Esok, Museum Kebangkitan Nasional, Jakarta – Indonesia  

2020  

• Axis by Praxis : Global Wave, G13 Gallery, Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia  o Seni Rupa Kontemporer?, Sakarsa Art Space, Jakarta – Indonesia  o Indonesia Calling, 16th Albermarle, Sydney – Australia 

2019  

• Letter – Callus – Post War, Lorong Gallery, Yogyakarta – Indonesia  o Termasuk, Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney – Australia 

• Indonesian Women Artists : Into The Future, National Gallery Indonesia, Jakarta –

Indonesia o Bandung Contemporary Art Award : Assemblage, Lawangwangi Creative Space, 

Bandung – Indonesia o I….Therefore I Am, Cans Gallery, Jakarta – Indonesia o Letter – Callus – Post War, Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei – Taiwan o Retrospect.Repose.Redefine, dia.lo.gue artspace, Jakarta – Indonesia o Over Here : Specific Moment, OverLab, Gwangju – South Korea o Art Bali : Speculative Memories, ABBC Building, Bali – Indonesia2018  

2018 o Manifesto 6.0 : Multipolar, National Gallery Indonesia, Jakarta – Indonesia  o Bukan Perawan Maria, Bandung Creative Hub, Bandung – Indonesia o SSAS.AS.IDEAS Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung – Indonesia  

• Java!, Institut des Cultures d’Islam, Paris – France  

• Biennale Jateng #2 – The Future of History, Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, 

Semarang – Indonesia  o Tapak Jejak Langkah Jelajah – Pameran Besar Seni Grafis ITB, Galeri Soemardja, 

Bandung – Indonesia  o Art Unlimited : XYZ – Gedung Gas Negara, Bandung – Indonesia  o Celebration of The Future – AB.BC Building Art Bali, Bali – Indonesia  

2017  

• Kaya Kayu : Care of Wood, Tha Space The Parlor, Bandung – Indonesia o Bandung Drawing Festival, NuArt Sculpture Park, Bandung – Indonesia o Mereka – reka, Galeri Lorong, Yogyakarta – Indonesia o Kecil Itu Indah #15, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta – Indonesia o Re:Emergence, Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung – Indonesia o Equidistant Night, Provenance Gallery, Manila – Philippines o X, Orange Gallery, Bacolod – Philippines 

• What You Wear is (Not) What You Are, You Are (Not) What You Wear, The 

Warehouse, Jakarta – Indonesia o Infamy, Pinto Art Museum, Antipolo – Phillippines 

2016 o Historia Docet, Historia Vitae Magistra, D Gallerie, Jakarta-Indonesia o A.S.A.P, G13 Gallery, Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia o Redraw II : Discovery, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta – Indonesia o Constituent Concreteness, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore o Kolektif Kolegial, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta – Indonesia o Kecil Itu Indah, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta – Indonesia 

2015 o Aku Diponegoro, National Gallery, Jakarta-Indonesia o Contemporary Alternative, Ar+otel, Jakarta-Indonesia 

• Connection, Commemorative 60th years of Asian African Conference, Rumah Seni 

Sarasvati, Bandung-Indonesia o Void, Langgeng Gallery, Magelang- Indonesia 

• Artmoments Jogja, Jogja National Museum, Jogjakarta-Indonesia o Langkah Kepalang Dekolonisasi, National Gallery Indonesia, Jakarta – Indonesia o Art Sneakers by Bazaar Art Jakarta Pacific Place, Jakarta – Indonesia o Pameran Gagasan : Getok Tular Omni Space, Bandung – Indonesia 

• Bardo, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta – Indonesia o New Future, Art1 New Museum, Jakarta – Indonesia o Friend’s and Family, ROH Projects, Jakarta – Indonesia 

• Gudang Garam Indonesia Art Award – Respublica, Galeri Nasional, Jakarta o Bandung Contemporary Art Award #4, Lawangwangi Creative Space, Bandung – 

Indonesia o Jerman Fest :Market Share, Pameran Seni di Pasar Tebet Timur Jakarta – Indonesia o SHOUT! Mapping Melbourne 2015, Melbourne – Australia 

2014 o Arte Indonesia 2014, Regenerasi, Jakarta Convention Centre, Jakarta-Indonesia o BEXCO Young Artist Award, Art Show Busan 2014, Busan-South Korea o Detournement, Duo- Solo Exhibition, ROH Projects, Jakarta – Indonesia o When in Bali do Like the Balinese do, Kendra Artspace, Bali – Indonesia o Indonesia Sekarang, Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta – Indonesia o KIAF, COEX Hall A&B, Seoul – South Korea 

o Art Tech by Art Dept and Samsung, Pacific Place, Jakarta – Indonesia o Bandung New Emergence vol. 5, Selasar Sunaryo Artspace, Bandung – Indonesia o Symbol, Spirit, Culture, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta – Indonesia 

2013 o Indonesia Art Award 2013, Galeri Nasional, Jakarta-Indonesia 

• Bandung Contemporary : Disposition, Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung- 

Indonesia o Stepping Into The Light, Tugu Kunstkring Paleis, Jakarta – Indonesia 

• SPOT ART, MICA Building, Singapore 

• Soemardja Award, Galeri Soemardja, Bandung – Indonesia o Lima Pembuka Tabir, Roemah Seni Sarasvati, Bandung – Indonesia 

2012 o Ranah Bertabur Kreasi, MEDCO, Jakarta-Indonesia  

• Design Statement : A Design Weekend, Industrial design exhibition, dia.lo.gue artspace, Jakarta- Indonesia  

• The Billboard Art Project, digital LED billboards exhibition, Salem, Oregon- USA o 15x15x15 Mini Art Project #4 : Mind Eye Perception, Galeri Soemardja, Bandung-

Indonesia o Atlanta Billboard Art Project, digital LED billboards exhibition, Atlanta, Georgia- USA 

2011 o LongliveMilosundae, tribute to Anggi A Sundahdjada, GaleriSoemardja, Bandung- 

Indonesia o Festival Grafis Berseni : Reframing Printmaking, Lawangwangi Art and Science Estate, Bandung- Indonesia 

2010 o KompasMuda- Green Living, Campus centre ITB, Bandung-Indonesia  o Museum Masa Depan, Pasar Seni ITB 2010, Bandung-Indonesia  

• Penang International Print Exhibition 2010 (PIPE 2010), Penang State Museum Art and Gallery, Penang- Malaysia  

• Convenient Store, E’sp Gallery, Center Culture France, Bandung-Indonesia o 15x15x15 Mini Art Project #3 : Recreate x Reality x Represent, Galeri Soemardja, 

Bandung-Indonesia  o Benang Hitam, Galeri Kita, Bandung-Indonesia 

2009 o We Hail We Sail : Jodi in The Morning Glory Parade, Galeri Kita, Bandung-

Indonesia  o Cerita Benda, KGB Alternative Room-FSRD ITB, Bandung-Indonesia Titik, Gedung Serba Guna ITB, Bandung-Indonesia 

Selected Honors & Awards 

2015 o Finalist, Gudang Garam – Indonesia Art Award, Yayasan Seni Rupa Indonesia, 

Galeri Nasional, Jakarta – Indonesia  o Finalist, Bandung Contemporary Art Award #4, Lawangwangi Creative Space, 

Bandung – Indonesia                                                                             

2014  o Finalist, BEXCO Young Artist Award, Art Show Busan,Busan – South Korea  

2013  o Finalist, Gudang Garam – Indonesia Art Award, Yayasan Seni Rupa Indonesia, 

Galeri Nasional, Jakarta – Indonesia  o 1 st Prize, Soemardja Award, Galeri Soemardja, Bandung – Indonesia

Selected Publications 

2022 o February, illustration for book, A Spoonful of Sugar in Your Cup of Tea, Questions on Colonialism and Discrimination in Five Acts, Pustaka Pias  

2021 o November, the artist featured, Maharani Mancanagara at Jakarta Biennale: Esok  o June, artist interview, Art at Work in Indonesia: Maharani Mancanagara, 

Castlemaine At Museum o February 11th, studio visit, Studitur #3: Maharani Mancanagara – Hikayat 

Wanatentrem Belum Selesai, Siasat Partikelir Youtube Channel o January, the artist featured, Diving Deeper, Reaching Further : Notes on Maharani 

Mancanagara’s Artistic Practice, Goethe Institut o January, exhibition review, Stories Across Rising Lands, Art SG 

2020 o November 12th, artist featured, Maharani Mancanagara : Hikayat Wanatentrem Belum Selesai, Siasat Partikelir 

2019 o April 19th, artist featured, Seni Untuk Masa Depan dan Inspirasi Masa Lalu Maharani Mancanagara, Dewi Magazine 

2017 o November 30th, exhibition review, Rekonstruksi Cerita Kakek, Jawa Pos o January 12th, #30Days0fArt 12/30: Maharani Mancanagara, Alkupra 

2016 o January 31st, illustration for short story ‘Berteman Angin di Ladang Kentang’, Kompas Newspaper 

2015 o April 5th, exhibition review, Memburu Kolektor di Ruang Baru, Kompas Newspaper o October 4th, artist features, Bicara Lewat Seni, Pikiran Rakyat Newspaper  

2014 o November 16th, exhibition review, Karya Generasi Pertama di Era Globalisasi, 

Kompas Newspaper o November 30th, exhibition review, Sekali Lagi Tentang Seni Kontemporer, Bisnis Indonesia Newspaper