RRI.CO.ID, Yogyakarta - ARTJOG 2026 opened at the Jogja National Museum on Friday, June 19, ushering in a new curatorial trilogy that reflects on time, continuity, and the evolving role of art in society.

Running until August 30, this year’s edition introduces ARS LONGA Trilogia (2026–2028) with its first theme, ARS LONGA: GENERATIO, centered on intergenerational dialogue and the social relevance of artistic practice.

Curator Farah Wardani, who will oversee ARTJOG through 2028, conceived the trilogy as the festival approaches its 20th anniversary.

"ARS LONGA Trilogia emerged from my reflections as ARTJOG nears its 20th year; art is long, and despite challenges, artists continue to create and sustain cultural work,” she said, Friday.

Farah--affectionately known as Wawah--outlined the trilogy’s three parts: Generatio, addressing generational issues and responses to the present; Legatum, reflecting on legacy as ARTJOG turns 20 and honoring artists who have shaped its ecosystem; and Mundus, engaging global concerns in curatorial and institutional practice.

Commissioned artist Roby Dwi Antono interprets the theme through a major installation, GENERATIO: CYCLUS VITAE, which explores how wounds from past generations become legacies shaping future identities.

His installation work unfolds across three sections--Vulnera, Rahim Kolekti dan Generasi Alien, and Generatio Continua--activated through performative rituals that invite collective participation across generations.

Yogyakarta‑based artist and musician Sirin Farid Stevy also contributes, highlighting a shift in his practice toward collective engagement. Collaborating with Paseduluran Nandur Banyu, he emphasizes symbolic yet everyday acts of honoring water sources, underscoring ARTJOG’s role as a meeting ground for art, community, and cultural continuity.

Farid Stevy recounted how his installation incorporates both literal and symbolic wells from Gunung Kidul Regency, Yogyakarta, representing natural heritage while also confronting social issues such as waste and exploitation.

He emphasized that the work extends beyond the exhibition space, continuing through daily practices with his community.

“Six months ago, I met curator Farah Wardani. This time I chose to work collectively with Paseduluran Nandur Banyu, symbolizing our everyday acts of honoring water sources,” he recalled.

He elaborated on the meaning of the wells and their connection to community rituals, describing how the collective alternates between planting trees during the rainy season and cleaning water sources in the dry season. These acts, he explained, embody sustainability and respect for life.

“Our art is not only what is displayed here, but the everyday acts of cleaning and protecting water sources with our community,” he stressed.

The spirit of collective practice also resonates in Papua, where Markus Rumbino, co‑founder of Alyakha Art Center, shared the journey of building an art collective to nurture young talent.

With a background in music, Rumbino rediscovered traditional sounds within his community, which became the foundation for Alyakha Kolektif--a platform that bridges heritage and contemporary creativity while empowering emerging artists.

Markus emphasized how young artists in Sentani, Jayapura Regency, Papua, developed new languages of expression that gradually gained recognition from older generations.

Their work, he explained, created bridges between tradition and contemporary practice, allowing them to be acknowledged within ARTJOG.

“We built Alyakha Kolektif in 2019 to nurture young artists in Sentani, creating new languages of expression that are now embraced by older generations,” he noted.

From Papua to Banten, the festival also highlights diverse material explorations. Artist and architect Jessica Soekidi reflected on her practice, which elevates tubers as living archives of identity and resilience.

Drawing from her architectural background, she explained how art allowed her to engage with materials more organically. Tubers, she emphasized, embody both food and seed--symbols of survival and continuity across generations.

Her installation brings underground tubers to the surface, making visible what is usually hidden. “Through tubers, I highlight Indonesia’s diverse identities, food and seed, living rhizomatic archives that I now bring above ground,” she reflected.

Jessica also experimented with planting potatoes as part of her installation, linking everyday practice with artistic exploration. She chose potatoes for their linguistic and cultural associations, expressing hope that they will grow during the festival as a living extension of her work.

ARTJOG 2026 also reinforces its commitment to inclusivity through Love‑ARTJOG, a program designed to expand accessibility in the arts.

Building on initiatives introduced in 2025, the platform offers guided exhibition tours for visitors with disabilities and mini residencies for disabled artists, ensuring that diverse voices remain central to the festival’s ecosystem.

Innovation takes shape in The Others Lab by TACO, an experimental project that explores material transformation.

Here, everyday materials such as HPL flooring are re‑engineered into new forms, with installations and merchandise products emerging from a process that embraces both success and failure as part of creative experimentation.

The festival further extends its reach through performa•ARTJOG, a program spanning 73 days and featuring 60 performances.

These initiatives highlight ARTJOG’s role as a sustainable, inclusive, and experimental platform--one that continues to push the boundaries of contemporary art in Indonesia while fostering dialogue across communities and generations. ***