New institution to showcase world-class exhibition programme and provide public access to one of the most significant collections of modern and contemporary art in the world

Inaugural exhibition to include works by artists such as Raden Saleh, S. Sudjojono, FX Harsono, Arahmaiani, Robert Rauschenberg, Yayoi Kusama and Jean-Michel Basquiat

(Jakarta, Indonesia – 21 July, 2017) – Indonesia’s first museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Museum MACAN) – will open to the public on November 4, 2017. The inaugural exhibition, which features pieces from the Museum’s collection, will showcase artworks by Indonesian masters and leading international artists alike, setting the precedent of a program that will continue to highlight local talents alongside a diverse range of global names.

Museum MACAN has been founded by Indonesian philanthropist and leading collector Haryanto Adikoesoemo, whose decade long vision for a permanent arts space in Jakarta and word-class collection forms the basis for the institution’s collection and mission. The Museum’s Foundation, which runs the Museum, is chaired by Fenessa Adikoesoemo.

Once open, Museum MACAN will present an annual program of special exhibitions not only from the Museum’s large and growing collection of over 800 modern and contemporary works but will incorporate exhibitions curated by the Museum team as well as collaborations with other museums around the world, with the program focused on cultural elements from Indonesia, South East Asia and beyond. Led by Director Aaron Seeto, the Museum will also actively commission new works that broaden perspectives and support cross-cultural exchange in and beyond Indonesia. The exhibitions will be accompanied by a pioneering education programme that aims to introduce museum-led arts education to a range of audiences.

Coinciding with the opening of the Jakarta Biennale and Biennale Jogja, Museum MACAN will open in early November with a festival of special events that support the burgeoning cultural activity in the region and present the best of Indonesian art to wider audiences on an international stage.

The curatorial direction and overall artistic and education program is overseen by Seeto, who says: “Museum MACAN’s inaugural exhibition, curated by guest co-curators Charles Esche and Agung Hujatnika, is the first public unveiling of an extraordinary collection developed over two decades by our founder. The works and overall message offer a reading of Indonesian art history in dialogue with world art history, and highlights the breadth and depth of the collection, and most importantly illustrates the Museum’s ongoing commitment to providing a platform for Indonesian and international artists on a global scale.”

About the opening exhibition

Museum MACAN’s inaugural exhibition will bring together iconic contemporary artworks by international names, with a large number of Indonesian masterpieces by artists including Raden Saleh, S. Sudjojono, FX Harsono and Arahmaiani. Co-­curated by Charles Esche and Agung Hujatnika, ‘Art Turns. World Turns. Exploring the Collection of Museum MACAN’ marks the first public appearance of the museum’s collection, and will be on show from 4 November, 2017 until 18 March, 2018.

Weaving together approximately 90 carefully selected artworks, by over 70 artists from across Asia, Europe, and America, this exhibition introduces an insight to Indonesian art history to the public, many of which have not been seen before. For many of the works by Indonesian artists, this presentation marks a debut viewing, and some that have not been exhibited publicly in decades—if ever, including works by Sudjana Kerton, Trubus Soedarsono, and Nashar. Presenting these works for the first time, Museum MACAN’s programme will showcase the strength of Indonesian modern and contemporary art, and further enhance the region’s positioning as a leading art hub. In addition, a number of works by international artists such as Robert Rauschenberg, Park Seo-­‐Bo, Mark Rothko, Gerhard Richter, Damien Hirst, and Yukinori Yanagi, have never been on public view in Indonesia before.

Separated into four thematic sections, the exhibition presents a narrative that spans two centuries and offers a reading of Indonesian art history in dialogue within a larger world art context. Each part explores art from a particular period in relation to relevant social and political movements including (1) Land, Home, People; (2) Independence and After; (3) Struggles around Form and Content; and (4) The Global Soup). Bringing together a diverse range of significant artworks, the exhibition includes pieces from many prominent movements across Indonesia and abroad, including Pop Art from America and Europe, Political Pop and Cynical Realism from China, Superflat and Mono-ha from Japan, and Dansaekhwa from Korea.

Preliminary rendering of the exterior of Museum MACAN, by MET Studio Design Ltd.

About the building 

Located in the up-and-coming Kebon Jeruk neighborhood of West Jakarta, Museum MACAN marks a significant milestone in the development of the Indonesian art scene and the latest destination to experience the ongoing South East Asian cultural revolution. The 4,000-sq. meter (43,000 sq. foot) Museum has been design by award-winning MET Studio in London, and will be the first purpose built space of its kind in Indonesia.

Museum MACAN will feature 2,000 square meters (21,528 square feet) of exhibition space, including two areas specially reinforced for large-scale commissions of new work. The Museum will also include a 500-square-meter (5,382-square-foot) indoor sculpture garden, along with a designated education zone, A/V room, a café/restaurant space and a retail store. The design of the new Museum will provide visitors with a museum tailor-made for the 21st century, boasting a unique panorama over Jakarta’s skyline and an interior space that is purpose built for dynamic and engaged exhibitions, new commissions and a wide variety of public programmes.

Upon arrival, visitors will be greeted by MET Studio London’s concept on the interior design. With fluid architectural forms and wrapped structures, where walls and ceilings merge into curvilinear arrangements throughout the spacious Museum. The gallery walls reach seamlessly from floor to ceiling, and the layered wide areas connect the architects’ vision for a free and explorative museum experience which enhance Museum MACAN’s mission to reveal artworks and unfold ideas in a welcoming open space.

Museum MACAN will be situated in a multipurpose landmark building in the up-and-coming Kebon Jeruk neighborhood of West Jakarta. The Museum will be a prominent feature of the Gallery West complex, which will encompass aspects of commercial, retail and F&B options easily accessible from the road leading from the international airport into the city.

Built from a collection based on national pride and cultural appreciation, Museum MACAN aims to present a venue of cultural exchange and innovative programming, and reintroduce Indonesian art and Indonesian history to new audiences.