Translucent presents Meli Muliawan’s first solo exhibition in Yogyakarta, exploring the nuanced and complex emotional world of children during her residency at Redbase Foundation. Moving away from idealizing children as merely cute or predictable, Muliawan places young figures in unexpected, surreal contexts to highlight how they mirror adult-like emotions, contradictions, and behaviors. The exhibition heavily draws inspiration from her transformative experience at Sekaten (a traditional Javanese night festival) translating its dizzying, adrenaline-filled carnival atmosphere through psychedelic holograms and vibrant color palettes that capture the unsettling boundary between childhood and adulthood.

Central to the series is Muliawan’s technical experimentation with resin, a material chosen for its unique ability to allow light to pass through while subtly distorting the image underneath. Much like looking underwater, the translucent resin creates an entry point that offers visual clarity without revealing absolute depth, mirroring the mysterious and multi-layered nature of her subjects. By juxtaposing adult mannerisms, evocative words, and festival iconography, Translucent uses the play of light and resin to illuminate hidden dimensions of childhood that are often overlooked, cementing Muliawan's ongoing artistic commitment to exploring both the medium and its subject matter.