Farmers' Paintings from China Bring Agrarian Ties to Jakarta
- 13 Jun 2026 18:35 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- The exhibition The Primary Colors of China officially opened on June 12, 2026, at the Art:1 New Museum in Kemayoran, Jakarta.
- The exhibition features 52 paintings created by Chinese rural artists, spanning more than 40 years, from historic works to contemporary pieces.
RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - A shared agrarian heritage takes center stage in Jakarta as rare collection of Chinese peasants artworks bridges the cultural landscape between Indonesia and China.
The two-week exhibition, titled The Primary Colors of China, officially opened on Friday, June 12, 2026, at the Art:1 New Museum in Kemayoran, Jakarta. Featuring 52 vibrant paintings, the showcase spans over four decades of rural artistry, ranging from historic 40-year-old pieces to contemporary creations.
On loan directly from the prestigious Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing, China, the collection offers a vivid window into the daily lives, festivals, celebrations, and deep-rooted harmony between humanity and nature in rural China.
The striking thematic parallels between the two nations were highlighted by Art:1 New Museum Director, Monica Gunawan, during the opening ceremony. "Even though they come from different regions, the themes presented feel close to us," remarked Monica, as quoted by Antara.
"This is especially because both Indonesia and China share strong agrarian cultural roots, uphold the values of togetherness, and have a close relationship with nature and tradition," she continued.
The historical backbone of this art movement traces back to 1988, a watershed year when China’s Ministry of Culture officially designated 54 towns and subdistricts as the inaugural batch of modern Chinese folk painting villages. The pieces on display in Jakarta are curated from four of these pioneering hubs, which are Dongfeng in Jilin, Huxian in Shaanxi, Jinshan in Shanghai, and Qijiang in Chongqing.
According to the representative from the Chongqing Three Gorges Museum, Li Xiaosong, the exhibition is envisioned as a cultural bridge rather than a static display. "Today, Chinese peasants' paintings cross mountains and seas to reach Jakarta."
"This is not just an exhibition, but also an invitation from Chinese villages that sincerely invites Indonesian friends to enter our fields, courtyards, celebrations, and dreams," said Li, as quoted by Antara.
The free, public exhibition has already struck a chord with local art enthusiasts, including a visitor named Monica who expressed admiration for how rural farmers were empowered to develop their artistic talents on an international scale. The paintings provided a profound glimpse into China's natural beauty and the harmonious bond between farmers and their environment.
To further enrich the cultural exchange, the exhibition features interactive zones where visitors can engage hands-on with traditional Chinese arts, including paper-cutting and Chinese rubbing techniques. ***
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