Indonesian artist Dian Suci has been honored with the prestigious 2025-27 Max Mara Art Prize for Women. The announcement came from Cecilia Alemani, the curator and chair of the jury, along with representatives from Museum MACAN and the Collezione Maramotti, coinciding with the opening of the Venice Biennale.
This award, initiated in 2005 to uplift mid-career women artists, grants Suci a tailored six-month residency in Italy, designed around her winning project proposal. The culmination of this residency will feature solo exhibitions at both the Museum MACAN in Jakarta and the Collezione Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, Italy, which will acquire the new works produced during this period.
Suci's artistic practice spans installation, painting, sculpture, and video, often exploring the intersection of domestic experience and political power. Her proposal, titled "Crafting Spirit: Cultural Dialogues in Heritage and Practice," aims to delve into the spiritual traditions of Italy and Indonesia as reflected in artisanal practices.
During her residency, Suci will travel to notable Italian cities including Assisi, Umbria, Rome, Lecce, and Florence. She intends to investigate how the creation of votive objects and religious imagery plays a role in contemporary culture, serving as a testament to resilience. "My proposal," Suci stated, "is rooted in the narratives of the body and memory within the lives and gestures of women artisans, whose work often balances between devotion and survival."
Cecilia Alemani remarked, "Dian Suci's work captivates with its remarkable ability to elevate the everyday domestic sphere into a space of political resistance. Her artistic vision aligns seamlessly with the essence of this prize, particularly as we celebrate the tenth edition focused on the artistic landscape of Indonesia."