Contemporary Indonesian Art

Indonesia’s contemporary art scene is fast becoming a favorite among collectors and critics, taking its place alongside the growing interest in works from China, India, and Korea. Pieces by Indonesian artists are selling for record-breaking prices, and the country is preparing to open its first Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art this fall. After decades of struggling to find representation in international galleries and museums, Indonesia is staking its claim as a key player in the global art world.

Contemporary Indonesian Art is a comprehensive introduction to the country’s key artists, curators, institutions, and collectors. It demonstrates how early artists broke from colonial and post-colonial power structures and shows how today’s artists grapple with issues of identity, globalization, and nation-building in Indonesia. The survey crosses ethnic, cultural, and religious boundaries, combining the traditional (batik, woodcut, dance, and Javanese shadow puppet theater) with the contemporary (comics and manga, graffiti, and advertising). Taken together, it is a powerful argument for why Indonesia is becoming a major force in the international art community.

Until recently Yvonne Spielmann was dean of faculty of fine arts at LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore and visiting research fellow at NTU Center for Contemporary Art, Singapore.