Yayasan Mitra Museum Jakarta Presents “We Move Amongst Ghosts”
Ashley Bickerton Good Painting and Bad Painting 2020 Exhibition View: courtesy of the artist and Kayu Lucie Fontaine. Whereas in the past the Friends of Jakarta Museums Foundation (Yayasan Mitra Museum Jakarta/YMMJ) has presented historical exhibitions, this time it attempts to make history by presenting, in collaboration with the Bali-based Kayu | Lucie Fontaine, a

What’s Happening at Museum MACAN in 2020
Along this year, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (MACAN) has fantastic exhibitions both from renowned local and global artists. Chiharu Shiota – Uncertain Journey (2016-2019). Photo courtesy of Museum MACAN/NOW!JAKARTA Since its opening in November 2017, Museum Macan continues to attract public attention, especially art fanatics, thanks to its stunning exhibitions and programs that invite

The Humorous Kama & Hallie
Kamahele (Kama) unveiled his first comic strip book debut. Photo courtesy of Kamahele/NOWJAKARTA Many professional comic creators started small with their own comic book, and so did Kamahele, a young talented Jakarta-based artist who had just launched his first comic strip in November. Taking place at Aksara Bookstore, South Jakarta, Kamahele (Kama) unveiled his first comic strip book

Bali’s Friend, Donald
Self Portrait, 56 x 76cm, mixed media on paper Neglected in his own home country down-under due to his adherence to figurative art and notoriously decadent way of life, the figure of Donald Friend is accepted unconditionally in Bali, the island on which he chose to live in towards the end of his life. While

Reviving the Spirit of W.S. Rendra through Panembahan Reso
Panembahan Reso was first staged in 1986 and now Auri Jaya, Imran Hasibuan and Seno Joko Suyono collaborate to revive one of W.S. Rendra's masterpieces. Photo Courtesy of Ciputra Artpreneur, Genpi.co Panembahan Reso, one of W.S. Rendra’s beautiful masterpieces took to the stage again in an era of change. It was in 1986 when Panembahan Reso, one of

Artistic Connection Across Generations
Photos by Amir Sidharta/NOWJAKARTA Visiting an exhibition entitled Untouchables, Ciptadana’s annual art exhibition this year, I was reintroduced to the works of Nunung WS. Born in Lawang, East Java, 1948, is a veteran artist who actively appeared in the Jakarta art scene until 2000, when she abruptly moved to Yogyakarta. In the exhibition, her works are

Wave of Tomorrow 2019: Showcasing the Progressive Merge of New Media Art and Music
New Media Art Installation by Tundra will be exhibited at Wave of Tomorrow 2019 at The Tribrata Dharmawangsa from 20 to 29 December. Photo courtesy of Tundra at 7th Anniversary ARMA17 Festival, Moscow, 2015/NOWJAKARTA After a successful debut last year, the biggest new media art exhibition ‘Wave of Tomorrow’ returns this year with more surprises, involving a

Students Bring Dash of Colour to South Jakarta
Photos by William Woodruf If you travel on Jalan Antasari between Prapanca and Cipete Raya, and look up occasionally from your handphone, you will see a series of colourful murals depicting Jakarta’s Betawi culture and other scenes on the pylons supporting the Antasari flyover. Using various styles, they were all painted by students from several

ICAD ‘X’ Invites People to Dive into the Minds of Artists
Indonesian Contemporary Art and Design (ICAD) celebrate its tenth anniversary with ICAD 'X' collaborating with art maestros such as Adi Purnomo, Hadiprana, FX Harsono, Hardiman Radjab, and many others. Photo by Raditya Fadilla/NOW!JAKARTA Indonesian Contemporary Art and Design (ICAD) returns this year at Grandkemang, marking its 10 years journey in supporting homegrown art through interdisciplinary

Instrumenta #2 ‘Machine/Magic’ Showcases Intersection between Arts and Science Fiction
Benny Wicaksono presents a critic of technology development through the act of surveillance. His work is on display during Instrumenta #2 : Machine/Magic at the National Gallery of Indonesia. Photo by Raditya Fadilla/NOW!JAKARTA For those visiting the National Gallery of Indonesia this October, the first impression that comes to mind is the giant cyborg that covers the

Teguh Ostenrik’s Artistic Journey in Germany
There are many other Indonesians who have strong links with Germany, but in the world of Indonesian art, one in particular seems to stand out. In September, we mourned the loss of Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, Indonesia’s third President, who is one of our most obvious links with Germany. The other most obvious link is a

New Decade for Art Jakarta: In Conversation with Tom Tandio and Enin Supriyanto
Artistic Director Enin Supriyanto (left), Fair Director Tom Tandio (right). Location: BART – Bar at The Rooftop, ARTOTEL Thamrin – Jakarta. Photo by Raditya Fadilla/NOWJAKRTA In between meetings at ARTOTEL Thamrin, Fair Director Tom Tandio and Artistic Director Enin Supriyanto shared exciting stories about the fresh look of Art Jakarta, the new team, moving the fair to

Indonesian Art and Diplomacy
Indonesian arts remains significant as the gate to national identity, people and its culture. Photos by Rintang Azhar/NOWJAKARTA A look at art collections within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indonesian Embassies around the world, which are effectively the faces of our nation. In the annals of Indonesian foreign affairs, arts play a significant role