Agus Djaya: Once Victorious, Later Neglected
In 1947, two Indonesian painters— siblings Agus and Otto Djaya—arrived in the Netherlands. To place this in context, we have to remember that while Indonesia had proclaimed Independence on 17 August 1945, not long thereafter the Dutch military with the support of Allied Forces returned to reclaim sovereignty over their former colony. They forced the Indonesian

“Wave of Tomorrow” Exhibit Combines Art and Technology
New media art has progressed over the past couple of years as technology has helped artists take their work to another level. The “Wave of Tomorrow” exhibition at The Tribrata Building Jakarta features interactive art installations where technology is part of the creative process. ‘Constellation Neverland" by Sembilan Matahari at Wave of Tomorrow Exhibition. Photos by Raditya Fadilla/NOW!JAKARTA The collaboration between Level7 and Bale Project has

At “Principal on the Threshold” Exhibit, A Defiance of Stigma and Prejudice
Artists with disabilities, both from Indonesia and abroad, displayed their work at the National Gallery in an exhibit titled, “Pokok di Ambang Batas”. Held from 12 to 29 October, the exhibit—“Principal on the Threshold”— was part of the British Council’s Bebas Batas (Borderless) Festival. Held from 12 to 29 October, the exhibit—“Principal on the Threshold”—

Two Bandung-Based Artists Showcase Hybrid Contemporary Works at INTERLUDE Exhibition
Bandung-based artists Yogie A Ginanjar and Erwin Windu Pranata displayed their work at Interlude Exhibition held at Pullman Jakarta Central Park. Their work depicts distinctive creations of contemporary movements. Installed at the hotel’s ground floor, INTERLUDE art exhibition by Pullman Jakarta Central Park is open to the public until 24 November. Photo courtesy of Pullman Jakarta Central Park/NOW!JAKARTA The hotel’s annual

Indonesian artist Suvi Wahyudianto Wins UOB Painting of the Year 2018 for his representation of the Sampit Massacre
This year’s UOB painting of the Year was awarded to Indonesian artist Suwi Wahyudianto. His painting focused on the 2001 tribal conflict in Central Kalimantan. Wahyudianto’s works are on display along with other Southeast Asia finalists at UOB Art Gallery, UOB Plaza I at 80 Raffles Place, Singapore until 28 February 2019. Photo by Rintang Azhar/NOW!JAKARTA Wahyudianto’s painting, created using mixed

Indonesia Contemporary Art and Design Exhibition 2018 Explores the Power of Stories
Stories are often associated with verbal narratives, but the 2018 Indonesian Contemporary Art and Design (ICAD) came up with a different approach. It offered a visual experience, using illustrations depicting the human experience. the ICAD’s latest exhibit, “Kisah” (Story), featured 39 artists who showcased their works in a six week-long exhibit at Grand Kemang Hotel, Jakarta. Photo by Raditya Fadilla/NOW!JAKARTA In its ninth year,

Retronesia: Opening up a Forgotten Cultural Frontier
I caught the exploration bug ten years ago when I moved to Jakarta. I wandered into an IHS evening lecture at Erasmus Huis and was hooked by what I saw—strange, American-inspired villas in Bandung. The speaker, France Affandy, told me this was one of those fabulous but big cultural unknowns. That night I made it

Photo Exhibit Aims to Unite Cultures
Art:1 gallery, in collaboration with Brazilian photographer and curator Renato Negrao hosts an exhibition titled ‘Connections’. Brazilian curator Renato Negrao. Photo courtesy of Art 1: Museum/NOW!JAKARTA The exhibit features the work of 12 Brazilian photographers including Adriana Milani, Bernardo Borges, Carla Acacio, Gabriel Rizaffi, Isa Godoy, Ivana Panizzi, Liana Azevedo, Lu Lisboa, Malu Mesquita, Máximo

Art Time Capsule
Recently, I have been doing research on the history of art exhibitions in Indonesia prior to 1965. The availability of a few online sources in the Netherlands and Australia that are open to the public has helped tremendously. Most important art exhibitions seem to have been announced, previewed or reviewed in the new papers, particularly

S. Sudjojono, Modernist Painter, Poet, and Writer Celebrated at Arts Collective
The father of Indonesian Modernism, Sudjojono is predominantly known for his most valuable painting of 1973 “The Battle of Sultan Agung” or 1985’s “The New Movement”. The special performance “Hey Djon: When poetry Meets Music” which was held at Vin+ Kemang, South Jakarta in December focused on his work which included both paintings and poetry. Renowned

Abenk/Alter: Transcending Dualism into Art
Abenk Alter is an aspiring progressive, artist in Indonesia’s Urban Pop scene. His passion for arts—conveyed via contemplative observation— is certainly a passion; one that has helped him make art based on human relations. His first solo exhibition is centered on this theme as part of a critique of show, speed and competition in contemporary society. Indonesian artist Abenk Alter explores

National Gallery of Indonesia Will Engage with More Art Communities in 2019 Programme
In 2018, The National Gallery of Indonesia featured 32 exhibitions, six education programmes, and six publications and partnership activities, all of which showcased the progress in the country’s art world. By expanding its partnership with art communities, the National Gallery is committed to strengthening community ties through art via its 2019 programme. Instrumenta 2018: Sandbox Exhibition which showcased number of interactive

#ARTOTELforHOPE Returns, Focuses on Rainforest Conservation
For the third consecutive year, ARTOTEL Project Series (APS) presented #ARTOTELforHOPE, the hotel’s annual social programme at each of the ARTOTEL Group’s properties, usually held at the end of the year. This year, the group collaborated with Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (Indonesian Nature Conservation Foundation) to raise awareness about conservation efforts of Kalimantan’s rainforests through