Diyan Achjadi

Diyan Achjadi The catch of a tiger, 2019 silkscreen on paper 8.75 x 8.75 inches Edition of 250 in four variations Unframed

Diyan Achjadi’s artistic practice is concerned with print media’s fundamental role in the transit of knowledge throughout the world. Her work is a critical response to the cross-cultural influences, contaminations and fantastical imaginings that result from the colonial project. For many years she has been interested in how the decorative arts — particularly wallpapers, textiles and ceramics — are presumed to be innocent, ornamental backdrops to social life, but contain politically potent imagery that serves to perpetuate powerful assumptions around gender, race and nationhood. Extending from Achjadi’s participation in CAG’s major public art initiative, How far do you travel?, presented in partnership with TransLink aboard Vancouver buses throughout 2019, The catch of a tiger presents a swirling, riotous reconfiguration of traditional Chinoiserie plate design that depicts an imagined Indonesia — its landscapes, architecture and fauna, which with Achjadi’s deft printmaking skills seep outside their borders and boundaries.