Juhari Said

Juhari Said was born in 1961. He is one of Malaysian’s leading printmaking artists, widely recognized for thought-provoking black-and-white prints and carved woodblocks that reveal his views on society. After graduating from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in 1983, he studied traditional Japanese printmaking under the renowned Japanese artist, Yoshisuke Funasaka. Juhari has held several solo exhibitions over the years, including Death of a Princess (1983), Garden Series (1985), Baju Kurung dan Secawan Kopi (1983), Kilimanjaro in Nagasaki (1995) and Katak Nak Jadi Lembu (2003) ,expressing the role of human behaviors through his works. In 2005, after 23 years of printmaking, Juhari expanded his vision and produced artworks that are no longer prints procured from a block of wood but the actual woodblocks themselves. Focusing on the form and the surface, he began to explore sculptural artwork showcasing the carved wooden blocks in collaboration with Wei-Ling Gallery during his solo exhibition, OKIR (2007). With his open and exploratory approach to art, Juhari continues to experiment with different techniques and materials, even taking wood carving techniques and applying it onto ceramics. He is constantly looking for meaning and purpose, trying to make sense of modern-life issues. He integrates the viewer in a critical discourse, questioning social and political concepts, and showing the possibility of ambiguity in life. Juhari has significantly changed the role of printmaking in Malaysia, pushing the boundaries of what was previously considered as a ‘minor’ art movement.