Art Jakarta 2025: Where Conversations Flow Beyond the Canvas
By Kerol Izwan.
Each edition of Art Jakarta feels like a ritual — a convergence of people, stories, and emotions orbiting within one expansive space. This year’s fair, held once again at the JIExpo Kemayoran, unfolded with its familiar pulse: the hum of conversations, the rhythm of footsteps between booths, and the quiet thrill of encountering art that stops you mid-walk.
Under the direction of Tom Tandio, Art Jakarta 2025 carried a renewed confidence. His vision for this year was less about scale, more about experience — about deepening our connection to art, and how it mirrors the times we live in. “Art Jakarta is about engagement,” he said. “It’s about how people encounter art and take that moment home with them.” And this year, that spirit was palpable.
The fair’s atmosphere was electric, yet deeply human. Galleries from across Southeast Asia — from Manila to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore to Yogyakarta — stood side by side, showcasing how regional creativity continues to mature and evolve. There was experimentation, but also restraint. A thoughtful balance between commerce and contemplation.
Among the countless pieces I saw, a few moments lingered. One in particular: a mysterious portrait of no one in particular — a figure fading from the frame, shards of glass scattered across the carpet. The accompanying pamphlet read: “The lady has left her frame.” It was hauntingly cinematic, like a scene paused between memory and disappearance. I stood there longer than expected, asking myself — did she escape, or did we, as viewers, trap her within our gaze? The artwork, shown by @sankhara.artmgmt, stayed with me. It was both fragile and defiant — a reminder of how art can hold silence as powerfully as sound.
Two artworks below: Then there was Pandemonium by @ekobintang, represented by @srisasantigallery. A riot of energy and emotion, the work demanded attention even from across the hall. It was a statement of movement, colour, and chaos — yet somehow disciplined in its execution. I could feel the pulse of its title — a wild kind of harmony that mirrored Jakarta itself.
Portrait of me: Later that afternoon, I stumbled upon another piece that quietly drew me in — a painting by @rizrizrizz, represented by @lesfauvesisland and @glitch. It was the only portrait I took at the fair, and perhaps the one that encapsulated my entire Art Jakarta experience this year.
Riz’s work feels personal — his brushstrokes soft yet assertive, his colours tender yet charged. The female figure often returns in his paintings, surrounded by animals, flowers, and fragments of poetry. His practice draws deeply from memory and emotion, expressing the fragile intersections of joy, chaos, and humour. Standing before it, I was reminded of why art fairs like this matter: they give us a language to feel with.
Beyond the artworks, Art Jakarta 2025 succeeded in reaffirming its place as one of Southeast Asia’s leading art events. It wasn’t just the scale that impressed, but the curation — the balance between regional depth and global awareness. The fair created bridges between established and emerging artists, while giving voice to new forms of storytelling through installations, design, and digital expressions.
Above: “Rising Current” presented by National Talent Management for Arts and Culture (MTN Seni Budaya) at Art Jakarta 2025, JIExpo Kemayoran
Below: Petualangan si Jabrik di Dunia my BCA_ at myBCA Space x Muklay, Art Jakarta 2025
But what truly defines Art Jakarta is its continuity. The conversations don’t end when the fair closes. As I write this, the buzz continues through Art Jakarta Papers, its platform for critical writing and dialogue, and the much-anticipated Art Jakarta Gardens, which will return with its open-air installations and immersive art-nature encounters. Together, these initiatives extend the fair’s essence beyond the walls of convention halls — shaping a year-round ecosystem where art lives, breathes, and evolves.
As the fair concluded, I felt that familiar blend of inspiration and quiet exhaustion — the kind that comes after days of visual and emotional stimulation. Yet, it was the good kind. The one that reminds you of how art connects us — to beauty, to thought, and to each other.
Art Jakarta 2025 was more than a celebration of contemporary art. It was a reminder that Southeast Asia’s creative spirit continues to bloom in full colour — reflective, fearless, and profoundly human. And as we look toward Art Jakarta 2026, I carry with me the same curiosity that began it all — a hope to return, to rediscover, and to be moved once more by the stories art continues to tell.
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Collaboration as the Heart of the Fair
At its 2025 edition, Art Jakarta once again proved that contemporary art thrives not only on creativity but also on collaboration. The fair brought together a constellation of lead and strategic partners, each contributing unique artistic encounters and immersive spaces that bridged corporate vision with creative expression.
Lead and Strategic Partners
The Lead Partners for Art Jakarta 2025 included Julius Baer, Bibit & Stockbit, Treasury, myBCA, iForte, SUPERMUSIC, and TACO. Each partnership transformed its brand space into an artistic experience — a continuing testament to Art Jakarta’s commitment to integrating commerce and culture.
Julius Baer VIP Lounge
Renowned for its support of the arts, Julius Baer collaborated with celebrated Indonesian artist Eddie Hara, presenting CALL 911. DESTROY BAD ART alongside a series of new and earlier works spanning painting, sculpture, and participatory installations. The vibrant lounge served as both exhibition and meeting point, embodying Julius Baer’s Swiss roots and Asian sensibility.
Bibit & Stockbit — “Portrait of Possibilities” by Agus Suwage
Financial technology met fine art in this presentation of Suwage’s monumental self-portrait series Self Portrait and the Theater Stage. Featuring 60 painted zinc panels, the work explored identity, expression, and personal evolution. The collaboration reflected how investment and self-reflection intertwine — each decision shaping the faces we present to the world.
Treasury — “Reserve of Care” by Azizi Al Majid & Nuri Fatimah
An immersive, multisensory installation inviting visitors to sit, listen, and smell, Reserve of Care symbolized four foundations of familial values: Shelter, Wealth, Care, and Love. This piece translated Treasury’s commitment to human-centred finance into an artwork that spoke to empathy and shared value.
myBCA Space × Muklay — “Petualangan Si Jabrik di Dunia myBCA”
Playful yet instructive, this collaboration reimagined banking through Muklay’s iconic character Si Jabrik. Visitors entered a cartoonish “myBCA universe,” merging financial literacy with artful exploration. Interactive activities and limited-edition merchandise made the booth one of the fair’s most talked-about features.
iForte × Ricky Janitra — “Lumiphona.Dat”
Technology and energy took centre stage in Ricky Janitra’s kinetic installation powered by solar panels. Light converted into algorithmic data triggered rhythmic movements, creating a piece that never repeated itself — alive, responsive, and powered by iForte’s renewable-energy ethos.
SUPERMUSIC — “The Acceptance Gallery”
In collaboration with local artisans and musicians, SUPERMUSIC created a space for self-reflection through sound and craftsmanship. The gallery featured artworks, instruments, and objects representing youth identity and Indonesia’s ever-evolving music scene — from indie rock to electronic experimentation.
TACO × Jessica Soekidi — “New Horizon”
A striking spatial installation inspired by sunrise hues, New Horizon reconfigured colour gradients into an inverted-pyramid sculpture suspended from the ceiling. Soekidi’s work captured the optimism of beginnings, perfectly aligned with TACO’s design-driven innovation.
Institutional Collaborations
Beyond commercial partnerships, Art Jakarta 2025 expanded its curatorial collaborations through AJX (Art Jakarta Collaborations) — a programme linking local and international institutions to present new ideas from the region.
The National Talent Management for Arts and Culture (MTN Seni Budaya), supported by Indonesia’s Ministry of Culture, presented Arus Baru, curated by Agung Hujatnika, featuring artists Dzikra Afifah, Iwan Yusuf, Maryam Sofrina, Natasha Tontey, Syaiful Garibaldi, and Uji Handoko — representing the rising voices of Indonesian art.
Meanwhile, Korea Focus, in partnership with the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Arts Management Service, spotlighted twelve emerging Korean galleries including APOproject, Gallery SoSo, Gallery2, THEO, and Pipe Gallery — marking a vibrant exchange between Jakarta and Seoul.
The Nata-Citta Art Space (N-CAS) of ISI Bali showcased eleven Balinese artists whose works explored material experimentation, symbolism, and tradition through a contemporary lens — reinforcing Art Jakarta’s connection with Indonesia’s diverse art schools and communities.
A Platform Built on Collaboration
What made Art Jakarta 2025 exceptional wasn’t just its roster of galleries or international guests, but how deeply collaboration shaped its identity. From corporate spaces turned into art experiences to government-backed initiatives nurturing young talent, the fair reaffirmed its position as Southeast Asia’s leading hub for art, innovation, and cultural partnership.
As the fair moves toward Art Jakarta Gardens 2026 and Art Jakarta 2026, the partnerships forged this year will continue to grow — proving that when creativity and collaboration meet, the results extend far beyond the exhibition halls.
