Highly Anticipated Art Jakarta 2019

TKG+, Wei-Ling Gallery, Art Agenda, S.E.A. and more
By A&M

Art Jakarta returns for its 11th edition at JCC Senayan in a week, running from 30 August to 1 September. The rebranded art fair has been drumming up significant interest under the capable stewardship of its Director, Tom Tandio and Artistic Director Erin Supriyanto, both well known within the regional art community.

Ahead of the fair’s highly anticipated opening, we speak with some of the 70 participating galleries about their expectations, and for an exclusive look at the artworks they will present.

Mit Jai Inn, ‘Untitled #TKTB-12’, 2018, oil on wood, 120 x 200cm. Image courtesy of TKG+.

Sawangwongse Yawnghwe, ‘Four Horsemen’, 2019, oil on linen, 223.5 x 310cm. Image courtesy of TKG+.

Some of the international galleries will present artists from Southeast Asia. Taiwanese gallery TKG+ presents the works of Thai artist Mit Jai Inn and and Burmese artist Sawangwongse Yawnghwe.

Another gallery from Taipei, Project Fulfill Art Space will present Taiwanese artists, including Hsieh Mu-Chi. "With the support of such a professional and active Art Jakarta team, we are very much looking forward to attending the art fair,” says Director Pei-Yu Lin. “I am excited to present the creative energy of Taiwanese artists and hope to bring greater engagement and interaction with audiences.”

Hsieh Mu-Chi, ‘We look each other over and just smile’, 2019, acrylic on canvas, 200 x 200cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Project Fulfill Art Space.

Beijing-based Qi Mu Space is focused on presenting Chinese artists to the fair’s visitors. One of the works they will be bringing to the fair is ‘Yan Fei’, a stainless steel sculpture by Chinese artist, Zheng Lu. Operating Manager Jinsi Li says, “We are looking forward to introduce outstanding Chinese artists to art lovers in Southeast Asia.”

Zheng Lu, 'Yan Fei', 2019, stainless steel, 74 x 65 x 110cm. Editions 1-3 out of 3. Image courtesy of Qi Mu Space.

Within Southeast Asia, from Kuala Lumpur, Wei-Ling Gallery notes, “We are very much looking forward to the newly revamped Art Jakarta this year, especially with Tom Tandio helming the fair. The VIP programs and lecture series look interesting and we hope to discover some new artists and collectors at the fair." One of the works they are bringing is from Indonesian artist Dadang Christanto.

Dadang Christanto, 'Manusia Biru Dengan Bunga Kecombrang', 2019, acrylic on canvas, 152 x 125cm. Image courtesy of Wei-Ling Gallery.

Bangkok-based Nova Contemporary brings works from Thai artists Prae Pupityastaporn, Nipan Orraniwesna and Aracha Cholitgul. “Surprisingly it is my first time in Jakarta but I have been very much looking forward to explore the city,” says Founder and Director Sutima Sucharitakul. “The city is only few hours away but I feel like there is a disconnection between Bangkok and Jakarta. I wish to fill this gap as Jakarta is one of the strongest markets in Southeast Asia. We would like to promote Thai artists to the regional market and beyond”.

Prae Pupityastaporn, ‘Twin Peaks’, 2015, acrylic on canvas, 50 x 180cm. Image courtesy of Nova Contemporary.

From Singapore, Art Agenda, S.E.A. will present ‘The Landscape Show’, which showcases the visual, emotional and spiritual reflections of close to 20 modern Indonesian artists such as Affandi, Ahmad Sadali, Basoeki Abdullah, Srihadi Soedarsono, Widayat and Mochtar Apin. “Art Agenda, S.E.A. will showcase a significant number of works, from photography works and large oil paintings to contemporary sculptures. These are spread across a range of prices, from USD2,000 to USD500,000,” says Director Jefferson Jong. “We are expecting to be able to place our strong landscape pieces into important private and institutional collections.”

Mochtar Apin, 'Pemandangan (Landscape)', signed and dated 'Mochtar Apin '90' on lower right, 1990, acrylic on canvas, 130 x 140cm. Image courtesy of Art Agenda, S.E.A.

Phillips Asia will participate in the art fair as well with a cross-category exhibition of art, watches and jewellery, including artworks from KAWS, Jeff Koons, Yoshitomo Nara, Takashi Murakami, Madsaki and Damien Hirst. “The collecting scene in Indonesia is expanding rapidly, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to engage with established major Indonesian collectors as well as a new generation of collectors from this growing market,” says Jonathan Crockett, Deputy Chairman and Head of 20th Century & Contemporary Art, Asia.

The auction house will also facilitate a charity auction as part of the art fair on 31 August, starting with 13 carpets specially designed by 13 contemporary Indonesian artists, such as Uji ‘Hahan’ Handoko and Indieguerillas, followed by artworks from 28 artists presented in the book ‘Inside Studios: Indonesian Artist’.

A&M is an official media partner of Art Jakarta 2019. The fair will take place from 30 August 2019 (Friday) to 1 September 2019 (Sunday). For more information, visit artjakarta.com.