The National Gallery of Indonesia: A Repository of Indonesian Art

The National Gallery of Indonesia was inaugurated in May 1999, following decades of development of the various buildings and spaces. Its rich history pays homage to the many great Indonesian artists and houses a vast collection.

According to historical records both in print and elsewhere, the founding of the National Gallery of Indonesia came about as part of efforts to establish the National Cultural Development Center Programme (Wisma Seni Nasional/Pusat Pengembangan Kebudayaan Nasional) which started in the 1960s Former Minister of Education and Culture, Dr. Fuad Hasan organised the renovation of the building to perfect its function as an art exhibition as a centre for Culture art exhibition and as a centre for art appreciation, in 1987. After intensive lobbying with the concerned authorities from 1995, the institution known as Indonesia National Gallery took on its existing form and function based on previous documents.

Today the museum houses 1,770 artworks by Indonesian and foreign artists, among the most notable are Indonesian artists Raden Saleh, Affandi, Basuki Abdullah, and also some foreign artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Hans Hartung, Victor Vasarely, Sonia Delaunay, Pierre Soulages, and Zao Wou Ki. The historic buildings are welcoming to both the casual observer and the afficionado. Dedicated rooms to permanent collections and galleries that house temporary exhibits, visitors are guaranteed a look at the county’s rich history, told, visually. The National Gallery of Indonesia Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur No.14 Jakarta T: +62-21 348 33954 galeri-nasional.or.id (English and Indonesian)

_______ This article is originally from paper. Read NOW!Jakarta Magazine August 2018 issue “Capital of Culture”. Available at selected bookstore or SUBSCRIBE here.