What galleries are bringing to the fair in 2024
By A&M

Tiffany Loy, ‘Depth Exploration 05’, 2024, abaca, polyester, 42 x 62 x 1 cm. Image courtesy of Sullivan + Strumpf. — Tiffany Loy, ‘Depth Exploration 05’, 2024, abaca, polyester, 42 x 62 x 1cm. Image courtesy of Sullivan + Strumpf.

Art Jakarta 2024 takes place at JIEXPO Kemayoran from 4 to 6 October. Art Jakarta Gallery remains a centrepiece of the fair. All together, there will be 39 Indonesian galleries, as well as 34 overseas galleries taking part from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, and Australia. In this preview, we find out from some of the participating galleries about the artists and artworks they will be presenting.

39+ Art Space

39+ Art Space will present the first Southeast Asian solo presentation of Chinese artist Huang Dan, titled ‘A Pale View of Hills’. Huang blends impressionist influences with classic Chinese romanticism. “39+ Art Space sees Art Jakarta as a dynamic fair of the region that champions contemporary art in Southeast Asian market,” says Liu Ying Mei, Founder and Director. “We are excited to be part of the roster for the first time. With our participation, we hope to gain better insights to the regional market, and inspiration from peers to better push forth as a gallery in Southeast Asia.”

Art Agenda

Art Agenda will present modern and contemporary works by Indonesian artists. For the second time, the modern selection is a joint collaboration with Art:1 New Museum. The modern artists are Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur de Merprès, Affandi, Ahmad Sadali, Antonio Blanco, Arie Smit, Chris Suharso, Emil Rizek, Gerard Pieter Adolfs, Gregorius Sidharta Soegijo, Handrio, Hendra Gunawan, Mochtar Apin, Popo Iskandar, Renato Cristiano, Rusli, Salim, Srihadi Soedarsono, S. Sudjojono and Widayat.

Stella Wenny, Director, Art Agenda JKT, says, "Art Agenda and Art1: New Museum are following on from last edition's collaboration to display artworks in a lush garden setting, initiating dialogues between the works and nature that inspired their creation. We believe in pushing beyond the conventional art fair displays. This forthcoming Art Jakarta presentation promises to be our most radical yet."

Affandi, 'Boats at the Beach', 1963, oil on canvas, 95 x 130 cm. Image courtesy of Art Agenda. — Affandi, 'Boats at the Beach', 1963, oil on canvas, 95 x 130cm. Image courtesy of Art Agenda.

Two key works they will bring are ‘Boats at the Beach’ (1963) by Affandi, and ‘White Garuda’ (1965) by Gregorius Sidharta. Affandi is one of Indonesia's leading modern artists. He is renowned for his expressionist works that capture the lives of everyday people. In this painting, fishing boats are brimming with freshly caught fishes. It celebrates the simple life of fishing communities who depend on nature for survival.

Gregorius Sidharta Soegijo, 'White Garuda', 1965, mixed media on canvas, 80 x 80 cm. Image courtesy of Art Agenda. — Gregorius Sidharta Soegijo, 'White Garuda', 1965, mixed media on canvas, 80 x 80cm. Image courtesy of Art Agenda.

Gregorius Sidharta Soegijo is best known as an Indonesian modern sculptor, but before focusing on sculpture, he experimented with different mediums, including painting. In the artwork shown, he presents a slightly abstract image of Garuda, a mythical bird from Hindu mythology and the vehicle of the god Vishnu. Garuda is also Indonesia's national symbol, representing power and strength.

In addition to the modern selection, the gallery will also present the works of contemporary artists Eric Pradana, Emte, Irene Febry, Hendra Priyadhani, Kurt D. Peterson, Lala Bohang, Sarita Ibnoe and TEMPA.

BAIK Art

BAIK Art will showcase a selection of works from Indonesia, South Korea, and the United States, where the galleries are based. The exhibiting artists are Aliansyah Caniago, Asmoadji, Chu Mirim, Dicky Takndare, Gwon Osang, Jonathan Hadipranata, James Jean, Kenny Scharf, Kim Jaeyong, Lim Changmin, Novo, Park Jihyun, Restu Ratnaningtyas and Suanjaya Kencut.

In particular, South Korean artist Chu Mirim will have her debut showcase in Jakarta with works inspired by the satellite views of Jakarta. The gallery will also show the works of Indonesian artist Dicky Takndare for the first time, with a new series of work reflecting on his fear towards conflicts and war, in a bid to generate hope.

B-tree gallery

B-tree gallery will bring works by Yongrae Kwon and Iurum. In Kwon’s work, round stainless steel pieces are layered to create a mountainous landscape, reflecting light, and thus using light as a material. The gallery will also present the work of Iurum. The artist aims to conjure up memories through the depiction of sweet objects that can particularly provide healing from potentially negative recollections.

Easelly

Busan-based gallery Easelly will present the works of Woolim Lee, Chris Measor and Hwasu Yoo. Lee is known for paintings that connect dreams with reality, such as green meadows appearing as soft cushions, engendering a mood of calm. Measor puts together visual elements in a deliberate, sometimes unexpected way, to compose a narrative. And Yoo creates artworks that take her out of the repetitive humdrum of everyday life, in order to create a idyllic world filled with symbols of flowers, horses and children.

ISA Art Gallery

Deborah Iskandar, Founder, ISA Art Gallery, says, “We are pleased to announce our participation in this year’s Art Jakarta, recognising it as an invaluable opportunity to connect with a broad spectrum of art enthusiasts, collectors, and fellow galleries.” She elaborates, “Our involvement aims to elevate the visibility of contemporary art and foster meaningful dialogues that reflect diverse narratives. At our booth, attendees can anticipate a thoughtfully curated experience that showcases our commitment to innovation and artistic excellence.”

In ‘A Gift from Rob’, Ida Lawrence weaves text and imagery to tell a story. The painting features Ida in a mismatched, colourful outfit, buzzing with energy. Rob is youthful and restless. Together, they are in a studio cluttered with vibrant artworks and a neglected potted plant. The scene portrayed shows their relationship with its beauty and discontent in co-existence.

Ardi Gunawan, ‘The Meaning is (Traditionally, Religiously) Confused’, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 127 x 98 cm. Image courtesy of ISA Art Gallery. — Ardi Gunawan, ‘The Meaning is (Traditionally, Religiously) Confused’, 2024, acrylic on canvas, 127 x 98cm. Image courtesy of ISA Art Gallery.

In another painting by Ardi Gunawan, cakes, fruits and other vibrantly coloured dishes are rendered in a mischievous push and pull between form and formlessness, anchored by two characters hiding in plain sight with wide eyes and pointed ears. Inspired by a Pinterest screenshot, the work is a rumination on digital consumption, and explores themes of originality and visual excess.

ShanghART

ShanghART will present the works of Robert Zhao. In the artwork shown, a seemingly lifeless tree stump remains, kept alive by the interconnected root systems with neighbouring Albizia trees. It is a visual representation of the simultaneous existence of life and destruction and is part of a series of images that depict scenes of the cut trunk.

Goh Chun Aik, Director, ShanghART Singapore, says, “We are presenting a site-specific installation “New Forest" by Robert Zhao, transforming the booth into a newsstand. Visitors will be able to purchase daily newspapers published by the Institute of Critical Zoologists, featuring happenings of the forest captured by a motion-sensitive instant camera placed beside a fallen giant Albizia tree.” He adds, “The audience may enter the newsstand to view images presented as instant film encased in custom-made wooden frame, alongside footage recorded across the past few years, as well as encounter a larger-than-life photograph of the rooted stump of the fallen tree. The booth exists as a site of contemplation, where the slow-moving timeline of the forest momentarily overlaps with ours through the duration of the fair.”

Sullivan + Strumpf

Mariia Zhuchenko, Associate Director, Sullivan + Strumpf Singapore, says “We love taking part in this annual event, as it gives us an opportunity to reconnect with our networks and enables us to grown new connections in Indonesian strong arts sector.” She elaborates, “It is also a chance to spotlight important local artists in their home country, as well as to introduce other talents from the region.”

The booth will showcase Indonesian artists Irfan Hendrian and Enggar Rhomadioni, as well as Carmen Ceniga Prado, Kanchana Gupta and will be showing Singaporean artist Tiffany Loy for the first time at the fair.

Vin Gallery

Vin Gallery will present the works of Mahdi Abdullah, Yohei Yama, Jabbar Muhammad, Phi Long Le, Kama and Ary Kurniawan. In particular, the works of Yohei Yama and Mahdi Abdullah reflect the gallery’s commitment to present artistic approaches to complex issues, with each artist using painting to deeply reflect on their surroundings and personal life.

In 2018, we interviewed Tom Tandio when he took on the role of Director at Art Jakarta. This year, we catch up with Tom to find out about the developments with the art fair in his tenure, including collaborations within Indonesia and abroad. These include sponsoring Mini Art Malang and Bandung Art Month, and collaborating with Art Busan and Art Taipei. To read the interview in full, click here.

Art Jakarta 2024 takes place at JIEXPO Kemoyaran from 4 to 6 October. To learn more and to buy tickets to attend, please click here.

Art & Market is proud to be an official media partner of Art Jakarta 2024.