RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, officially opened the Art Jakarta Papers 2026 exhibition at the InterContinental Hotel in Jakarta, Thursday, 5 February 2026. The exhibition is part of the Art Jakarta 2026 series and focuses on paper as a central medium in contemporary art.

Art Jakarta Papers 2026 will take place at City Hall, Pondok Indah Mall 3, from 6 to 8 February 2026. The exhibition features 28 galleries from Indonesia and across Asia, positioning itself as a platform to strengthen the paper-based contemporary art ecosystem at local and regional levels.

In his remarks, Fadli praised Art Jakarta for initiating the exhibition, calling it a significant and relevant breakthrough. “Paper has long been part of cultural expression in the archipelago, dating back to the seventh century through daluang made from tree bark,” he said.

The minister noted that the use of paper reflects Indonesia’s extraordinary cultural richness. According to him, the country’s diversity goes beyond the conventional term and is better described as “megadiversity.”

Within the broader framework of cultural development, Fadli said the Ministry of Culture is focusing on strengthening five key ecosystems, including film, music, performing arts, literature, and visual arts. He added that visual arts have strong potential as a national strength due to growing interest from international collectors.

Fadli also highlighted the relevance of Art Jakarta Papers to the National Talent Management (MTN) program. “This exhibition provides young talents with opportunities to showcase their work, build networks, and engage directly with international art communities,” he said.

He further emphasized the importance of collaboration among the government, cultural actors, art communities, Art Jakarta, and the private sector. “We want Indonesian artists to be more visible globally and no longer underrepresented,” Fadli said.

Meanwhile, Art Jakarta VIP Relations representative Hafidh Ahmad Irfanda expressed hope that the exhibition would continue to evolve in response to changing times. “We hope Art Jakarta Papers 2026 will inspire artists and reaffirm Indonesia’s cultural presence in the regional and international art scenes,” he said.