Celebrated painter Ratmini Soedjatmoko would have turned 100 on Nov. 18 this year.

Beyond Horizons, an exhibition at Hadiprana Gallery in South Jakarta that opens on Dec. 1 and runs until Jan. 10, 2026, is presented as a tribute to a woman who managed to align her formidable creative force with a full life: as the wife of a diplomat, a mother to three daughters and an active participant in the social and cultural realms.

Around 50 artworks testify to her aestheticism, visible across a range of techniques, from formally acquired painting skills to experiments arrived at through long practice and color combinations infused with instinctive sensitivity, qualities that could be described as a form of feminine energy.

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A particular highlight is her series of sumi-e. Distinct from her acrylic works, these 18 Japanese ink paintings have never been seen in Indonesia and were exhibited only once in 1987, at her exclusive solo presentation at the International House of Japan in Tokyo.

Ratmini learned the discipline during her seven years in Tokyo, where she studied under contemporary artist Shoko Ohta. At first, she was only permitted to copy existing Japanese works, but it did not take long before she was allowed to create her own compositions.

Sumi-e is a traditional art form that uses black ink, made by grinding an ink stick with water, and brushes of varying thicknesses to capture the essence of a subject. Introduced to Japan by Buddhist monks from China, the practice reflects minimalist Zen principles, with modulated shades of black producing a full spectrum of grays.

According to Indonesian curator and architect Reny Alwi, the technique demands extreme finesse and utilizes a special type of paper as the “canvas”.

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