Clear Focus On Southeast Asia
Art Jakarta 2024 welcomes 73 galleries and collaborates with more partners this year.
Words and Photos Jewel Chuaunsu
January 8, 2025
Art Jakarta has evolved into a significant cultural event that highlights the global and regional art scene in Southeast Asia. The Fair attracts distinguished galleries and artists, offering a dynamic platform for both established and emerging voices in the art world. One of the hallmarks of Art Jakarta is its focus on contemporary art, often reflecting the rich and diverse cultural landscape of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The Fair provides a space where artists from the region can engage with global trends while celebrating local narratives and traditional artistic practices that have shaped their work.
Art Jakarta 2024 concluded successfully after a three-day run from 4 to 6 October 2024, at JIExpo Kemayoran, Jakarta. Welcoming 73 local and international galleries, the Fair gained widespread attention from seasoned collectors and art enthusiasts. This year, Art Jakarta expanded its space at JIExpo Kemayoran, now occupying not only halls C3 and B3, but also C1. This expansion allowed the Fair to enhance the audience experience with a more convenient F&B area, improved presentations of the public program, and additional participants in the Art Jakarta Scene section.
During the three days, Art Jakarta 2024 drew 38,268 visitors, marking a 7% increase from the previous edition, demonstrating the growing enthusiasm for contemporary art in Indonesia and across the region.
HIGHLIGHTS
Supporting the Fair and showcasing their own presentations were four Lead Partners—Julius Baer, UOB Indonesia, Bitbit, and Treasury.
Bitbit created for Art Jakarta 2024 a collaborative work by artist Cinanti Astria Johansjah and Rajut Kejut, a community of knitters. In “Knit by Knit,” they engaged the audience to take part in a knitting activity that would complete the installation and subsequently teach the importance of persistence, patience, and consistency in both art and finance planning.
Julius Baer featured Indonesian artist Sunaryo in their VIP Lounge while UOB Indonesia exhibited the UOB Painting of the Year winners and created a dedicated space for children. Treasury introduced their Gold For Good programs that seek to finance tree-planting activities and the education of street children. Alongside presentations by SUPER-MUSIC, Roca, iForte, Blue Label, Artotel Wanderlust, and Yayasan RMHC, other highlights included Smeg’s “Frigorifero d'arte” (Refrigerators of Art) in collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana, indieguerillas’ installation for Taco, artist Erwin Windu Pranata’s participatory assemblage incorporating colorful everyday objects and a MINI Cooper, and a collaboration between Stanley and Vinilon featuring Palette Studio’s “Hydrogrid, Hydration,” an installation that’s both a seating area and refillable water facility,
