Taking place from Feb. 5 to 8 at City Hall, Pondok Indah Mall 3, in South Jakarta, the fair is the first item on the agenda of the year-long Art Jakarta series, arising from a desire to provide focused attention and sustainable support for paper-based contemporary art, which is often positioned as a secondary medium, despite serving as a crucial foundation for artistic processes, the exploration of ideas and the production of visual knowledge. 

“We hope that this edition will strengthen, deepen and expand the appreciation and knowledge of art lovers, collectors and the general public in Indonesia and the region regarding the various forms and achievements of contemporary paper-based art,” says artistic director Enin Supriyanto.

The first edition of Art Jakarta Papers supported by The Jakarta Post as the official media partner, and lead partners BCA and Sucor Asset Management, provides significant artistic collaboration through special presentations. The presence of these two major players from the financial industry solidifies Art Jakarta's position as an important part of the local and regional art ecosystem.

myBCA presents myBCA Space, enhanced with a monolithic art installation made of hand-cut paper by Rudy Atjeh, depicting the journey of human life through the metaphor of a tree. Visitors are invited to interact with the tree installation through an origami activity, allowing the work to expand and grow throughout the exhibition period. 

Meanwhile, Sucor Asset Management presents Sucor AM Corner, an interactive installation created in collaboration with artist Naufal Abshar, which features six papier-mâché sculptures representing six chess pieces, utilizing the concept of chess as a metaphor for investment. 

In addition, Art Jakarta Papers will feature the acclaimed SPOT section, bringing together curated solo presentations of large-scale installations presented by participating galleries. SPOT will feature works by Iwan Effendi, presented by ara contemporary, and the photography collective Ruang MES 56, presented by kohesi Initiatives.

Complementing the discourse on the role of paper in the art world, the fair will present a series of six panel discussions on Feb. 7 and 8, exploring various ideas and issues relating to paper including the position of paper-based artworks in the art ecosystem, the challenges of paper conservation in a tropical climate, international market opportunities for Indonesian paper artists, the revolution of paper-based artwork, paper as a space for artistic experimentation and paper-based artwork restoration.

Art Jakarta Papers will be open by invitation only on Feb. 5 from 3 to 9 p.m. The fair will be open to the public on Feb. 6 from 3 to 9 p.m. and Feb. 7 to 8 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tickets for Art Jakarta Papers are available for purchase exclusively at artjakarta.com.

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