Amid buzz in Indonesia’s art scene, emerging creatives call for more support, opportunities

Surabaya and East Java have what it takes to ‘carve out an important art scene’ given the right conditions, says artist and activist Syska Liana

‘Success story’ of Yogyakarta and its art ecosystem can be template for local governments, corporate patrons to boost support for artists, activists urge

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Visitors admiring artworks at the 2023 Biennale Jatim in Indonesia. Photo: Orasis Art Space

Published: 4:00pm, 12 May 2024

Indonesia’s art scene generated international buzz in 2018 when “The Hunt”, a painting by 19th century pioneering Romantic artist Raden Saleh, sold for US$8.8 million at a French auction, making it the most expensive Indonesian work of art to date.

But while connoisseurs’ interest in the works of Indonesia’s most famous artists remains high, the country’s emerging creatives say their opportunities are limited due to a lack of domestic patrons and uneven support from the government.

This has been particularly true for artists living outside the country’s three major art hotspots – the capital Jakarta which has proved lucrative for artists, the island paradise of Bali, and the creative hub of Yogyakarta for avant-garde works.

But many in the creative sector are working to change that.

Surabaya artist Syska Liana La Veggie explaining her work at the 2023 Biennale Jatim at Orasis Art Space. Photo: Orasis Art Space

“In the past few decades, the Indonesian art scene has gravitated towards parts of the country with conducive ecosystems like Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Bali, but this may be changing,” said Sidoarjo-based artist and activist Syska Liana, better known as Syska La Veggie by her art peers.

Indonesia’s retail art market was estimated to be worth 4 trillion rupiah (US$280 million) in 2019, according to Statista, a figure that was estimated to rise as the number of domestic buyers increased.