Art Jakarta returns after pandemic hiatus

INDONESIA’S visual arts scene took a hard beating during Covid-19, as galleries and museums had to close for more than a year – much longer than they did in other countries. Unable to sell art through the usual gallery route, Indonesian artists took to hawking their artworks online. But success there depends on a large social media following – something which even well-regarded older artists don’t necessarily have. 

Some digitally-savvy artists scored big by minting non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for a then-frothy crypto market, until the market collapsed. Other artists bided their time by taking on other jobs or focusing on making better art. Unfortunately many art collectors put a ceiling on how much they’re willing to pay for physical artworks which they haven’t seen up close, limiting the value of online transactions. 

But these shifts and changes seem to bode well for Art Jakarta, when it returns this August as an in-person event after a 2-year hiatus. Indonesia’s biggest art fair went virtual in 2020 and partially outdoors in April 2022 (with Art Jakarta Gardens). But with the easing of travel restrictions in recent months, Art Jakarta has been able to confirm the participation of many international galleries and visitors for its flagship event taking place at Jakarta Convention Centre (JCC) Senayan from Aug 26 to 28.