Jakarta’s art scene, contrary to popular belief, is thriving. Over the last decade or so, art in Jakarta has been democratised, with galleries, art spaces and art fairs encouraging a wider audience to enjoy, appreciate and engage with a diverse array of artists and their works.
Annual art events have certainly been significant in increasing public interest, but one does not have to wait for the next big fair to enjoy art in Jakarta. There is of course Galeri Nasional Indonesia, an historic institution with a generous permanent collection of over 1,700 works. However, here we share more of the city’s art venues, big and small, all dedicated to showcasing the wealth of the modern and contemporary art scene in Indonesia and beyond.
Museum MACAN | JAKARTA ART HUB | Dia.lo.gue Artspace | Gajah Gallery Jakarta | ISA Art Gallery
Museum MACAN
Located in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, Museum MACAN has become one of Jakarta’s premium art destinations. Since it first opened in November 2017, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Museum MACAN) has been Jakarta’s window into the international contemporary art scene, filling what was once a cultural and artistic void for the city.
No expense was spared in bringing the museum to life —its 5,000 square metres of display space is alive with an eclectic selection of both national and international artworks, with dedicated areas reserved for world-class exhibitions. 800 works from museum founder Haryanto Adikoesomo’s own private collection make their way into the display, alongside pieces on long-term loan. As a result, viewers are granted access to a rich assortment of artworks, from historic pieces of Indonesia’s first modern artist, Raden Saleh (1811-1880) or Miguel Covarrubias’ iconic ‘Map of Bali with the Rose of the Winds’ (1930s), to works by contemporary artists like Japan’s Yayoi Kusama (1929- ) and Indonesia’s own Rudi Mantofani (1973-).
Museum MACAN particularly excels in its rolling exhibition programs, where expansive spaces are taken over by vivid presentations — a medley of installations, multimedia and visual arts are given ample room to flourish and breathe. This has resulted in immersive experiences for visitors, where the breadth of works by chosen artists can be explored in depth. Prominent solo exhibitions have included ‘CARE’ by Patricia Piccinini, ‘Manifesto’ by Julian Rosefeldt, ‘The Past Has Not Passed’ by Arahmaiani and ‘Days in Cicadas’ by Jeihan Sukmantoro. MACAN’s mission is to give public access to the world’s modern and contemporary art scene, as well as provide a significant platform for Indonesian artists to shine
Fostering artistic appreciation among future generations is core to MACAN’s mission as well, including a curated Children’s Art Space and additional resources for young visitors, as well as education programs for schools and groups. What’s more, the museum runs a successful patronage program, inviting donors to support the museum, its education initiatives, specific exhibitions, and even individual artists. It has thus developed an ecosystem in which artists, audiences and collectors can all benefit.
Currently on display until 6 April 2025 are ‘Sing Dance Cry Breathe’ by Korakrit Arunanondchai and ‘Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre’ by Natasha Tontey. Visitors will also find additional facilities like Shop at MACAN and Common Grounds Coffee Roaster.
Open Tuesday to Sunday: 10am to 6pm (last entry 5.30pm). Ticket purchases are required for visitation, available online.
AKR Tower Level M, Jalan Panjang No. 5 Kebon Jeruk
@museummacan
museummacan.org
JAKARTA ART HUB
Designed as a collective art space, JAKARTA ART HUB invites galleries from across Indonesia to coexist in one venue, creating a collaborative destination where curious visitors, art enthusiasts and serious collectors can explore a wide selection of works under the independent curation of each gallery.
As of 2024, there are two ‘JKT ART HUB’ locations, both in Menteng, one at Wisma Geha and the other in Gedung Ranuza. These collaborative spaces are initiatives by IndoArtNow, an art foundation operating as an information source and media platform, sharing the latest on contemporary Indonesian artists, exhibitions, curators and venues. Evolving into a semi-open platform, IndoArtNow also collaborates on contemporary art projects and facilitates documentation and archiving. The foundation was started by Tom Tandiono, Director of Art Jakarta, one of the city’s most respected art fairs.
JKT ART HUB Geha now hosts 10 galleries across five separate floors — Rubanah Underground Hub (basement), Kendys Gallery, Jagad Gallery, MOT Core by Museum of Toys, SEWU SATU, Rachel Gallery, Vice & Virtue Gallery, Unicorn Gallery and ART AGENDA. Meanwhile, as of late 2024, JKT ART HUB Ranuza is host to Yuan Gallery and SAL Project. The galleries featured are not curated or selected by IndoArtNow, instead, they are open opportunities for both established and brand-new galleries, with each gallery managing its own programs and displays. Therefore, visitors can expect a rich diversity of pieces, representing each gallery’s independent vision and chosen genre. Many of the galleries are from outside Jakarta, giving them a brand-new audience in the capital.
As a collective space, the galleries benefit from one another, and JKT ART HUB helps to coordinate opening dates or unified launches of exhibitions, adding to the buzz of each event. Gallery visits are free of charge, with the next joint exhibition scheduled for 22 February 2025, with more galleries set to move into Ranuza.
Opening Times for both locations: Tuesday to Sunday, 12pm to 7pm.
Wisma Geha, Jl. Timor No.25, Menteng, Central Jakarta
Ranuza Building, Jl. Timor No. 10, Menteng, Central Jakarta
@indoartnow
indoartnow.com
Dia.lo.gue Artspace
One of Kemang’s legendary institutions, Dia.Lo.Gue has long been a hub for Jakarta’s creative communities. Founded in 2001 by Ibu Engel Tanzil, this public but intimate art space has seen a diverse roster of events and exhibitions, from indie music concerts and documentary screenings to exhibitions on design and architecture.
The venue’s ethos is reflected in its name, a playful presentation of the word ‘dialogue’ which can also be read as ‘Dia-Lo-Gue’, the Betawi slang for ‘Him/Her-You-Me’. Dia.lo.gue thus defines itself as a place of open conversation for all, a space for safe expression and honest discovery.
Dia.lo.gue is home to three distinct elements: an artspace, a cosy café and a shop selling quirky local indie brands and artist products. The art space is open to various genres of art and design, embracing all types of media, and promising thought-provoking subjects that showcase the intersection of life, art and design —a ‘dialogue’ that occurs in everyday life. Examples of previous exhibitions include “Bandoeng & Schoemakers”, showcasing the works of two colonial architects, the Schoemaker brothers, and their role in defining the design identity of Bandung and Indonesian architecture; and ‘Warna-Warna’, an exhibition series celebrating diversity and inclusivity, featuring the works of differently-abled artists from various cities in Indonesia, uplifting the niche genre of ‘disability art’. Exhibitions are free, with paid workshops also available.
Open Daily: Mon-Fri (11am to 8pm), Sat-Sun (8am to 8pm).
Jl. Kemang Selatan 99a, Jakarta Selatan
+62811930089 (WA)
@dialogue_arts
Gajah Gallery Jakarta
Founded in Singapore in 1996 by Jasdeep Sandhu, Gajah Gallery has been at the forefront of Southeast Asia’s art scene for the last three decades, bringing the region’s most prominent artists, and identifying promising up-and-comers, to international audiences and collectors.
Gajah first expanded into Indonesia in 2012 with its art institute, Yogya Art Lab, followed by the opening of a 278-square-metre gallery space in 2015. Finally, Gajah Gallery Jakarta was inaugurated in 2022, expanding the gallery’s network in the capital city to engage with local artists and enthusiasts. The gallery is located in the prestigious residential complex, Casa Domaine, in central Jakarta. Gajah Gallery’s three distinct locations expand the showcase of artists and exhibitions to a wider network of audiences, with cultural exchange made possible between each region.
Representing a wide variety of artists across an eclectic selection of genres, collectors will find pieces from iconic Indonesian contemporary artists, from Bali’s I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih and I Made Djirna, to the fabric art of Carlo Villafuerte from the Philippines and Singapore’s next master ceramicist, Jason Lim. Gajah’s goals include promoting and representing said artists internationally, taking their works to leading art fairs, such as Art Basel’s various global locations, The Armory Show in New York, Sydney Contemporary and more.
At Gajah Gallery Jakarta, this free and open to public art space invites visitors to drop by and view current group and solo exhibitions. These include curated works from various artists, focusing on different themes, regions or stories; or in some cases, dedicated presentations of a singular artist. Examples from 2024 include: ‘Elevation: Kayleigh Goh’s Exploration of Abstract Architecture-scapes, a solo exhibition by Malaysian artist Kayleigh Goh’; ‘Customised Postures, (De)colonising Gestures’, a group show exploring the intersection of colonial photographic imagery and contemporary art practices in Southeast Asia; to ‘MuMoToMo’, which presented the entangled stories and works of Murni, Mokoh, Totol, and Mondo.
Open daily: Mon-Fri (10am to 6pm); Sat, Sun, Public Hols (12pm to 6pm)
Casa Domaine GF Retail No.1, Karet Tengsin, Jakarta Pusat
+62 21 39702273
@gajahgallery
gajahgallery.com
ISA Art Gallery
With a dedicated space on the ground floor of the Wisma 46 building on Sudirman, ISA Art Gallery brings colour and culture into the heart of Jakarta’s central business district. The gallery is the public art space of ISA Art and Design, an art advisory and consultancy founded by Deborah Iskandar in 2013. Expertly curated exhibitions take shape in the public gallery, in particular spotlighting Indonesian artists, women artists and new media artists.
An expert in Indonesian and international art, Deborah Iskandar was responsible for bringing the international auction house Christie’s to Indonesia back in 1996, later becoming the Managing Director of Sotheby’s for four years before starting her independent consultancy in 2013. With Deborah’s decades of experience at hand, ISA Art and Design advises clients, both private and corporate, on sourcing artworks and building collections, as well as consultation on how to integrate art into architectural or interior design projects.
ISA Art Gallery represents a unique selection of contemporary artists, many of whom are bound by diasporic backgrounds: Indonesians raised or educated abroad, foreigners connected to or inspired by Indonesia, Asian immigrants to USA, mixed nationalities, and so on. As such, each artist presents a bespoke and individual perspective, resulting in innovative works that cross boundaries and cultures. One of the missions of ISA Art Gallery is the promotion of women artists, seeing a lack of representation in the global art circuit, particularly for Indonesian women, and also new media artists.
Visitors are welcome to browse through current exhibitions at ISA Art Gallery at Wisma 46, more often curated group shows displaying a variety of works from Indonesian and international contemporary artists. Their current exhibition ‘DEFINE COMEDY!’ features nine artists, whose works navigate the duality of tragedy and comedy, and indeed how these seemingly opposing elements can in fact intersect. On display until 7 February 2025.
Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 6pm.
Wisma 46, Ground floor, Jl. Jenderal Sudirman No.Kav. 1
+62 811 1317 023
@isaart.id
isaartanddesign.com
