Bentara Budaya commemorated its 40th anniversary with notable guests and a series of cultural and art events.

Bentara Budaya Jakarta, a cultural center located on Jl. Palmerah Selatan 17, West Jakarta, celebrated its 40^th anniversary on Sept. 26, cementing its four-decade commitment to promoting Indonesian art and other artistic events. 

"Life begins at 40. But Bentara Budaya didn't wait for 40 years to create; hopefully, by celebrating the 40^th anniversary, Bentara Budaya will be [even] more capable of engaging with the [art] industry," Rikard Bagun, vice CEO of KG Media, remarked at the anniversary sessions. 

"Bentara Budaya hopes to continuously act as a 'hub' for various cultural expressions in the archipelago, which is in accordance with the spirit of Indonesia as a home for all community groups," Ilham Khoiri, general manager of Bentara Budaya and communications manager for Kompas Gramedia Yogyakarta, shared in a statement. 

Guests to the event included notable figures from the ministries and art enthusiasts, such as Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, former industry minister (2014–2016) Saleh Husin, former maritime affairs and fisheries minister (2014-2019) Susi Pudjiastuti and Cooperatives and Small-Medium Enterprises Minister Teten Masduki. 

The current and former ministers contributed a few words regarding Bentara Budaya's 40^th anniversary. 

"Bentara Budaya provides a place where all the artists can live. I could hang around with musicians and enjoy the arts," Susi shared during the session. 

Notable guests: (From left to right) Wahyu Muryadi, Budiman Tanuredjo, Adrian Herlambang, Susi Pudjiastuti, Saleh Husin, Teten Masduki, Budi Karya Sumadi, Norbertus Nuranto, Emmanuel Ernawan and Rikard Bagun attended the 40th anniversary of Bentara Budaya. (JP/Yohana Belinda) (JP/Yohana Belinda)

Several guests also praised the cultural center's role in Indonesia's art scene. 

"Bentara Budaya holds an important role in restraining ethnocentrism in Indonesia," Jean Couteau, 77, writer and curator, said, sharing his admiration for Bentara Budaya. He further stated that innovation is deemed pivotal for Bentara Budaya to keep up with the current technological advancement. 

"In Indonesia, the most creative places are run by private institutions. And it's important because the memory element serves as a point that we need to excavate from Indonesia's culture, accommodated by those private institutions." 

"This place [Bentara Budaya] expands my knowledge about Indonesian arts. For example, I went here last time to enjoy the ceramic exhibition from Singkawang,” museum-goer Ahmad Khoirudin, an archivist, stated.

Bentara Budaya's 40^th anniversary was also enlivened by an art exhibition, entitled Seraut Wajah Indonesia di Kanvas Kita (roughly translated, the string face of Indonesia on our canvas). The exhibition displays 77 paintings by 40 Indonesian painters from Sept. 27 to Oct. 7, showcasing artworks by artists Ahmad Sadali, Affandi, Agus Djaja and Hendra Gunawan, among others. 

Two new programs were also introduced: Bentara Budaya Podcast and Laboratorium NFT Bentara Budaya. The podcasts will involve prominent figures such as film director Joko Anwar, singer Endah Laras, writer Agus Noor and painter Putu Sutawijaya. The podcast episodes are available on streaming platforms such as YouTube and Spotify. 

The non-fungible token (NFT) studio at the Bentara Budaya is open daily, inviting artists to create their own NFT. 

The event was closed with a traditional puppet show (wayang) performed by Ki Warsad Darua and Sanggar Jaka Baru from Indramayu, West Java.