What does Jakarta need to do in order to be recognised as a cultural city? In this opinion series, NOW! Jakarta hears from the leaders of the city’s artistic institutions to gain insight into fosteringand developing specific areas of culture. Venus Lau of Museum MACAN talks to us about art.
Courtesy of the artist and Audemars Piguet
London has the Tate Modern, New York has MoMa, Tokyo has MOMAT, Amsterdam has Stedelijk Museum… and Jakarta? Despite being a developed and affluent cosmopolitan, Indonesia’s capital city was not only absent from this prestigious list of contemporary art museums, it didn’t even have one to speak of.
Enter Museum MACAN (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Nusantara) in 2017, which in the space of a year would make it into the ‘World’s 100 Greatest Places 2018’ by Time Magazine. Jakarta was finally on the global art map. Since it opened, Museum MACAN has hosted esteemed artists to present their work, providing the city with world-class exhibitions. Joining as the Director of Museum MACAN in 2024, Venus Lau shares her insights to managing this premium museum and fostering art in the city.
Image courtesy of the museum
“Jakarta is increasingly recognised as an essential art hub in Southeast Asia, and institutions like MACAN are central to this recognition,” shares Venus, who built her expertise as an Artistic Director in Hong Kong and Greater China.
“They contribute to the city’s dynamic and prosperous art and cultural ecosystems, providing local and foreign artists a platform to bring their practice to engage in vibrant dialogues. This enriches the city’s cultural fabric and positions Jakarta as a key player in the global art scene.”
Of course Jakarta had art museums prior to 2017. These have been focused more on history, displaying Indonesia’s traditional and modern art. Museum MACAN’s exhibitions are often at the cutting edge of the contemporary art, a genre which Venus believes encourages viewers to rethink the world around them.
“Contemporary” is not only a concept of temporality, it is also an idea that leads to the questions about coexistence: who are our contemporaries?”, explains Venus. “By engaging with the artworks, we gain insight into the issues, ideas, and emotions that shape our world, offering us opportunities to examine and challenge our own views. Ultimately, showcasing contemporary art is about presenting a fissure outside everydayness where inspiring dialogues can flourish.”
MACAN’s ability to host renowned international artists has been a significant driver of interest, catalysed by Yayoi Kusama’s ‘Life is the Heart of a Rainbow’ exhibition in 2018. The museum’s ability to host artists of such a calibre is a testament to their position in the global art world.
“The process of selecting featured artists begins a year or more before the actual exhibition. We carefully consider the artists’ relevance, the themes they explore, and their ability to engage audiences. Our goal is to create timely and thought-provoking exhibitions that offer new perspectives on contemporary art,” says the Director, whose debut exhibition at MACAN saw the surreal, imaginary creatures of Australian artist Patricia Piccinini roam the museum floors in 2024.
Venus adds that MACAN’s overall goal and mission is to make modern and contemporary art accessible to all, which means fostering an environment where people from all walks of life can come together, engage with thought-provoking art, and participate in meaningful conversations.
This means fostering an appreciation for art amongst younger audiences too, promising interactive, educational and entertaining experiences. “We host music festivals, film screenings, dialogues, book talks, theatre performances, workshops, and more, tapping into various interests and connect with different communities,” she adds.
Having a premium contemporary art museum is in fact a watershed moment for Jakarta, signifying that it is home to a society interested in artistic and cultural pursuits —a transcendence from simply an ‘affluent’ city. “Art catalyses cultural growth, dialogue, and understanding for both the residents and the city, helping shape a more inclusive Jakarta with many perspectives and values.”
Read more in the series: Why Jakarta Needs….
Art Communities, with Ayu Utami | Cultural Collaboration, with Bambang Prihadi | Contemporary Art, with Venus Lau | Music, with Nathania Karina | Literature, with Laura Prinsloo
