Agan Harahap

Lives and works in Yogyakarta, Indonesia | Born 1980
Known for his practice in photography and digital manipulations, Agan Harahap offers a reading of social conditions through a blend of satire and parody. Harahap creates new scenarios by blurring the threshold between fiction and reality, filling up the grey area that connects one fact with the others with his authorship. As a result, his works often carry not only a sense of humor but also a critique of contemporary society’s unthinking consumption of images.

Harahap has participated in exhibitions in Indonesia and internationally such as Indonesia Bertutur at the Museum Puri Lukisan, Bali (2024), Indonesia; Living Pictures: Photography in Southeast Asia, National Gallery Singapore, Singapore (2022); Nation, Narration, Narcosis: Collecting Entanglements and Embodied Histories, Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin, Germany (2021); and the 5th Singapore Biennale 2016: An Atlas of Mirrors, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore (2016). His works are in the collections of the Sigg Collection Mauensee, Switzerland; Singapore Art Museum, Singapore; Freunde der Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany; and Tumurun Private Museum, Solo, Indonesia. Agan Harahap is one of the recipients of the Singapore Art Museum S.E.A Arts Fund in 2025.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
1999 - 2005 BA, Indonesian School of Design, Bandung, Indonesia
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021 There's a Fun in Funeral, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
2017 The Social Realism of Agan Harahap, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
2012 Garden Fresh, Element Art Space, Singapore
2011 Holy War, Richard Koh Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Holy War, Vivi Yip Art Room at Art Stage Singapore, Project Stage, Marina Bay Sands Exhibition and Convention Centre, Singapore
Superhistory, ION Art Gallery, Singapore
2010 Superhistory, Vivi Yip Art Room, Jakarta, Indonesia
2009 Safari, Ruang MES 56, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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Selected Groups Exhibitions
2025 Art Jakarta, ara contemporary, Jakarta, Indonesia
Screen Print Showcase, Collaboration with Krack! Studio, Newsagency Gallery, Petersham, Sydney, Australia
Setelah Padam, Collaboration with Krack! Studio, Cemeti – Institute for Art and Society, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
ruins and blueprints, ara contemporary, Indonesia
Aku/Dunia, Tumurun Museum, Solo, Indonesia
Noughties by Nature 2, Gajah Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
We Begin with Everything, ara contemporary, Jakarta, Indonesia
S.E.A Focus, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
2024 Art Love U, Jakarta Design Centre, Jakarta, Indonesia
One Piece Club Indonesia - Collectors’ Show, Gajah Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
Indonesia Bertutur, Museum Puri Lukisan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
ARTJOG 2024 - Motif: Ramalan, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Salon Et Cetera, Ace House Collective, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Doxa & Episteme – In Search of the Real Deal, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
2023 Come As You Are, Till Drop, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
DCDC Yogyes in Absurdum, JNM Bloc, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Yesterday, I Wrote the Future, Can’s Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
Bongkar gudang #2: HOODS, ROOTS, AND WHATNOT, RUBANAH Underground Hub, Jakarta, Indonesia
2022 Living Pictures: Photography in Southeast Asia, National Gallery Singapore, Singapore
Bandung Photography Triennale, NuArt Sculpture Park, Bandung, Indonesia
Berdikari!, Distrik Seni X Sarinah, Jakarta, Indonesia
For the House; Against the House: Life Imitates Art, by OH! Open House, Gillman Barracks, Singapore
Potret Malam Affandi, Museum Affandi, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Nu- Sa- Ma- Tra, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2021 Nation, Narration, Narcosis: Collecting Entanglements and Embodied Histories, Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin, Germany
Baroque Archipelago, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
Pause, Rewind, Forward #2, SaRanG Building, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2020 It’s done‽, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
ARTJOG: RESILIENCE, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Matter Matters: New Media, Materiality, and The Artworld, Can's Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
2019 Luar Ruang, Riau Province, Pekanbaru, Indonesia
62 Years After Hamilton, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
Poor Imagination, Sullivan+Strumpf, Singapore
ARTJOG MMXIX: Arts in Common: common|space, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Jakarta International Photo Festival, RUBANAH Underground Hub, Jakarta, Indonesia
Diverting Politics of (Re)presentation, Gajah Gallery Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Apa Kabar?, Showroom MAMA, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Bandung Contemporary Art Award: Assemblage, Lawangwangi Creative Space, Bandung, Indonesia
Hopes & Dialogues in Rumah Kijang Mizuma, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
2018 FINLAND, Bibliothekswohnung, Berlin, Germany
From the Archives, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
PhotoBangkok Festival 2018, Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre, Bangkok, Thailand
Art Bali 2018 “Beyond the Myths”, AB • BC Building, Bali, Indonesia
ARTJOG 11: Enlightenment, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Hello World. Revising a Collection, Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin, Germany
Prime Meridian, Vinyl on Vinyl, Manila, Philippines
2017 OFF THE MENU, Mediterranea Restaurant by Kamil, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
The Launch of Malaria House, Deus Ex Machina, Bali, Indonesia
During the Exhibition The Gallery Will Be Online, SaRanG Building 1, Bantul, Indonesia
Unsettling Time(s), Cemeti – Institute for Art and Society, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Traces of the Future: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia, Mizuma Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
ARTJOG 10: Changing Perspective, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, indonesia
The History of Boys: the MES 56 and Beyond, DECK, Singapore
Beyond Boundaries – Globalisation and Identity, Liechtenstein National Museum, Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Chobi Mela IX, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2016 Minimal Art Gallery (MAG) | HOME, RRedbase Foundation, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Dear Art World, Visma Arts & Design Gallery, Surabaya, Indonesia
11th Shanghai Biennale, Power Station of Art, Shanghai, China
5th Singapore Biennale 2016: An Atlas of Mirrors, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
SEA+ Triennale, National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
Why are we doing what we are doing?, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
Kolektif Kolegial, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
ARTJOG 9: Universal Influence, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Costume National: Contemporary Art From Indonesia, AXENEO7, Quebec, Canada
Historia Docet, D Gallerie, Jakarta, Indonesia
2015 No Other Color, Kunstkring Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
Effervescence, ROH Projects, Gillman Barracks, Singapore
Biennale Jogja XIII, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Transformaking [RE}-Affirmation Channels, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Noorderlicht Photo Festival (Making One Self), Noorderlicht Photo Gallery, Groningen, Netherlands
BitterSweet, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Pursuing The Future, Ruci Art Space, Jakarta, Indonesia
Full House, Ruang MES 56, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
ARTJOG 8: Infinity in Flux, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
NO WORRIES : HALAL, Vanessa Quang Gallery, Paris, France
FAD Democracy, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
2014 #Masalalujamanbaru, SaRanG Building, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Put Up A Signal, Ruang MES 56, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Kontrak Dan Transaksi Lainnya, Ruang MES 56, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Afterimage: Contemporary Photography from Southeast Asia, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
The 5th Indonesian Contemporary Art and Design, Grand Kemang Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia
Local Fest, Grand Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
MANIFESTO #4, National Gallery Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
Fiesta Kota Tua, Kantor Pos Fatahillah, Jakarta, Indonesia
La Super Expo!, Sakura Gallery, Paris, France
The Invisible Monuments, Art14 London, London, United Kingdom
SUPERHEROS, Galeries Forum Meyrin, Geneva, Switzerland
2013 SIASAT: Jakarta Biennale, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, Indonesia
Fetart 15, Arles, France
KUOTA 4, Langgeng Art Foundation, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Beyond Boundaries, Umahseni, Jakarta, Indonesia
Beast/Bloom for Thee: Biota Etc, Galeri Canna, Jakarta, Indonesia
2012 TOP COLLECTION #3, Ruang Rupa, Jakarta, Indonesia
ARTJOG 2012: Looking East, A Gaze Upon Indonesian Contemporary Art, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Zeitgeist, Bataviasche Kunstkring Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
40 x 40, Dia.Lo.Gue Art Space, Jakarta, Indonesia
Tribute To Mentor, OHD Museum, Magelang, Indonesia
Saturations, Element Art Space, Singapore
2011 Money Culture, Garis Art Space, Jakarta, Indonesia
Beastly, Salihara Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
PMR Cube, Sampoerna Strategic Square, Jakarta, Indonesia
APOGEE – A Compilation of Solitude, POLISTAR, Tophane/Istanbul, Turkey
Ruang MES 56: Contemporary Photography from Indonesia, Center for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, Australia
Beyond Photography, Ciputra Marketing Gallery Kuningan, Jakarta, Indonesia
Asian Photography Section, Bazaar Art Jakarta, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia
New Pop New World, Element Art Space, Singapore
We Are Now Open, Garis Art Space, Jakarta, Indonesia
Beastly, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Month Of Photography Tokyo, Ricoh Ring Cube Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
The Howler Terror Club Interstellar Artist, The Goods Dept., Jakarta, Indonesia
FOTOGRÁFICA BOGOTÁ 2011, Galeria Christopher Paschall S.XXI, Bogota, Colombia
1001 Doors: Reinterpreting Traditions, Ciputra Marketing Gallery Kuningan, Jakarta, Indonesia
2010 Mental Archive, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Digit (all), Umah Seni, Jakarta, Indonesia
The 2nd Jakarta International Photo Summit, National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
All (but) Paper, Dia.Lo.Gue Art Space, Jakarta, Indonesia
Daegu Photo Biennale 2010, Daegu Culture and Arts Center, Daegu, South Korea
Shopping, Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
The Loss of the Real, Selasar Sunaryo, Bandung, Indonesia
Room is Mine, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
Mendamba Tubuh, Goethe Haus, Jakarta, Indonesia
Crash Project: Image Factory, SIGIarts Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
CUT 2010: New Photography from Southeast Asia: PARALLEL UNIVERSE, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
and Singapore; Manila Contemporary, Manila, Philippines; Sangkring Art Space, Jogjakarta, Indonesia
LOOK! SEE? - Indonesian Contemporary Photography Exhibition, Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
2009 URBANTOPIA – Contemporary Photo Exhibition, North Art Space, Ancol, Jakarta, Indonesia
CUT 2009 Figure: New Photography from Southeast Asia, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Singapore; and Manila Contemporary, Manila, Philippines
2008 APPAF International Photo Festival, Estremoz, Portugal
Move Heaven N Layer, Oktagon Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia
Indonesia Art Award, National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
IN-TER-MIS-SION: A Pause or Break [drawing & photography], PVJ, Bandung, Indonesia
2007 JPG Fashion Photography, Space Gallery, San Francisco, California, USA
2004 It’s All About, Indonesian School of Design (STDI), Bandung, Indonesia
Miceun Runtah Dina Otak, Dago Street, Bandung, Indonesia
Aku Cinta Kamu Dulu Baru Aku, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), Bandung, Indonesia
2003 Selera Kita Rasa Idaman, Gedung YPK, Bandung, Indonesia
2001 Manusia Diatas Kertas, Indonesian School of Design (STDI), Bandung, Indonesia
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Residencies
2017 Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film, Singapore
2012 Element Art Space, Singapore
Collections
The Eight Foundation, India
Freunde der Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany
Sigg Collection, Mauensee, Switzerland
Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
Tumurun Private Museum, Solo, Indonesia
Selected Award & Prizes
2025 Recipient, Singapore Art Museum, S.E.A Arts Fund, Singapore
2008 Nominee, Best Photography, Indonesia Art Award, National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
Selected Publications
2018 Album Kenangan, Kamboja Press, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Media
2024 A Special Visual Storyteller/Creative Artist Interview with Agan Harahap
Author: TGH Photography & Travel
https://blog.photojournalist-tgh.tv/photography/a-special-visual-storyteller-creative-artist-interview-with-agan-harahap
2021 The Artist Behind Manipulated Facts
Author: Humanities Arts and Society
https://humanitiesartsandsociety.org/magazine/the-artist-behind-manipulated-facts/
2020 From Justin Bieber to Leonardo DiCaprio to Angelina Jolie, fake celebrity photos are Indonesian’s tongue-in-cheek comment on fame
Author: SCMP PostMag
https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3046811/justin-bieber-leonardo-dicaprio-angelina-jolie-fake
2019 First-ever JIPFest captures struggle for identity
Author: The Jakarta Post
https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/07/03/first-ever-jipfest-captures-struggle-identity.html
2018 The art of fake news: The Indonesian artist fooling the world with his photos
Author: Autralian Brodcasting Corporation News
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-27/indonesian-artist-fooling-the-world-with-his-photos/9797068
2016 Interview with Agan Harahap, the Man Who Hung Out with Rihanna
Author: DAMAN
https://daman.co.id/interview-with-agan-harahap-the-man-who-hung-out-with-rihanna
2015 Too Bad These Celebrities Arent Really in Indonesian Jails
Author: WIRED
https://www.wired.com/2015/06/agan-harahap-and-justice-for-all/
2012 Achtung... its Spider-Man! Incredible photos reveal how Batman, Superman and friends helped the Allies win World War Two
Author: Daily Mail
https://www.wired.com/2015/06/agan-harahap-and-justice-for-all/
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Selected Works

The Memory Remains 2

2025, c-print on Ilford smooth cotton rag, 40 x 60 cm, edition of 3 + 1 AP

The Memory Remains 1

2025, c-print on Ilford smooth cotton rag, 40 x 60 cm, edition of 3 + 1 AP

Untitled

2025, archival inkjet print on photographic paper mounting on board, variable dimension

The Border Line 1–10

2023, gumoil print on paper, variable dimension, edition of 2 + 1 AP

Mardijker Photo Studio

2014-2015, digital C-print on paper, dimensions variable, total of 30 pieces, edition of 3 + 1 AP, Installation view: 'Hello World. Revising a Collection', Hamburger Bahnhof - museum für Gegenwart, Berlin, Germany, 2018 © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Nationalgalerie / Thomas Bruns

Membidik Sejarah (Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Bung Karno)

2013, c-print on ilford paper, 70 x 100 cm, edition of 3 + 1 AP

Exhibition