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Sustenance for the soul
Arts are essential in developing a society of free expression and robust intellectual engagement.
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A visitor takes pictures of artworks on display during the Art Jakarta 2024 at Jakarta International Expo in Kemayoran, Jakarta on Oct. 4, 2024. The event, featuring 39 galleries from Indonesia and 34 from overseas, will run until Oct. 6. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
T
his weekend, Jakarta is hosting Art Jakarta 2024, a weekend-long festival showcasing contemporary art with a focus on Southeast Asia. In a year when politics have take such a toll on our mental and physical capacity, we need more celebration of creative expression. Art Jakarta is an opportunity for us to pause and circle back to other important aspects of our humanity.
This week we saw the House of Representatives reelect Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Puan Maharani, continuing her reign in a legislature dominated by parties aligned with president-elect Prabowo Subianto.
Analysts have raised concerns about the prospect of the PDI-P joining Prabowo’s coalition, which would lead to an absence of opposition in the legislature, hindering the House’s ability to perform its checks and balances role.
The weeks to come will surely demand more of our abilities for critical analysis and discernment as the executive power transfers from Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to Prabowo on Oct. 20.
The Art Jakarta festival began Friday and lasts until Sunday at JIEXPO Kemayoran in Central Jakarta. The fair features 73 exhibitors showcasing a diverse range of artworks which highlight the evolving art scene in the region. Organizers said they aim to foster a deeper appreciation for contemporary art and strengthen the local and international arts communities.
We are all aware of the positive impact of the arts on educational outcomes, as well as physical and mental health, local economies and community well-being, and we might benefit from engaging in artistic and cultural activities in these challenging times.
Scholars have also underscored the importance of arts for civil society.
A study by United States scientists in 2014 found strong evidence that individuals who have both direct and indirect exposure to the arts are more engaged in civic activities within their communities and possess higher levels of social tolerance.
In this regard, we can be certain that arts and culture are not mere indulgences. Instead, they are essential in developing a society of free expression and robust intellectual engagement.
Arts and culture might not seem important in a country where more than one-third of its population is economically insecure and the middle and upper-income populations are on the decline, but perhaps we should think again.
Through whatever forms, we must engage our creativity and reflection from time to time, and a tumultuous political year is as good a time as any.
