ARTJOG 2025: Indonesia’s Premier Art Festival Returns for Its 18th Edition

Indonesia’s premier contemporary art festival ARTJOG 2025 is set to return from 20 June to 31 August 2025 at the Jogja National Museum in Yogyakarta. This year’s theme, Motif: Amalan (Practice) concludes the Motif trilogy that began in 2023, exploring the evolving relationship between art and society. 

Since 2018, ARTJOG has evolved beyond being merely an art exhibition. It has become a battleground for ideas and discourse. Now in its 18th year, ARTJOG presents Motif: Amalan, the concluding chapter of the Motif trilogy. The theme came up based on two questions: Can the practice of artists and their artworks be seen as a practice? Is the practice of art limited to the world of art or can it touch the wider shared life? 

Curated by Hendro Wiyanto, Bambang 'Toko' Witjaksono, and Ignatia Nilu, the theme delves into the concept of artistic practice as a form of amalan, a deed or act of goodness. It challenges the conventional view of art as merely aesthetic, proposing instead that art can serve as a moral and social action contributing to the common good. The curatorial discourse examines the tension between art's autonomy and its role within broader societal contexts, questioning how aesthetic experiences can translate into ethical and communal values. 

Hendro Wiyanto's reflection on the theme underscores a profound and nuanced view of the role of art and the artist in society. By framing “practice” (amalan) as something not entirely visible or self-assessable, he challenges the conventional understanding of art as merely an individual pursuit rooted in beauty or harmony. Instead, he positions art as a dynamic and communal process, one that exists in relation to the social, cultural, and temporal ecosystem in which it is embedded.

His assertion that “the art ecosystem works harder than the artist” invites us to reconsider authorship and agency. It suggests that art gains meaning, relevance, and endurance not solely through the intentions of its creator but through how it is lived, engaged with, and tested over time. This highlights the importance of community, reception, and societal context, making practice less about perfection or performance, and more about sustained engagement and response.

Leading up to the main event, ARTJOG is engaging the public through the Road to ARTJOG 2025 program. Notably, the exhibition ARAK-ARAK: Midnight Haze and The Drifting Flocks, curated by Yogyakarta-based artist Jompet Kuswidananto and Surabaya-based writer and curator Ayos Purwoaji, was being held in Surabaya. This solo exhibition, featuring works from 2011 to 2025, explores historical echoes and their resonance in contemporary reality. The exhibition runs from 19 April to 3 May 2025 at Pasar Tunjungan, 3rd floor, Surabaya.

This year’s event will be enriched through a range of inclusive and participatory programs that embody the spirit of practice as a shared and evolving experience. These include ARTJOG Kids, performance•ARTJOG, Exhibition Tour, Meet the Artist, Curatorial Tour, Artcare Indonesia, Jogja Art Weeks, and Love ARTJOG, all designed to engage audiences of various ages and backgrounds, encouraging deeper interaction with art beyond passive observation.

For the main exhibition, Anusapati, a renowned sculptor born in Surakarta, has been appointed as the commission artist for ARTJOG 2025. His work, often rooted in natural materials like wood, reflects a deep engagement with his surroundings and an intuitive response to materiality, space, and memory. Anusapati’s approach exemplifies the theme of Amalan, as his practice is a meditative and process-driven exploration of life, form, and the environment.

For tickets and programme information, visit artjog.id