Indonesia Prepares Artists for Venice Biennale 2026

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is preparing to showcase its contemporary art on the global stage through participation in the Venice Biennale 2026. Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, held a discussion with Indonesian artists in Jakarta , 5 March 2026, to review preparations for the country’s participation in the international art exhibition.

The main exhibition of the Venice Biennale 2026 is scheduled to open to the public on May 9 and run until November 22, 2026. For this edition, the Indonesian Pavilion is planned to be located in a graphic arts school building in Venice.

He also emphasized that the Venice Biennale is one of the most important events in the global visual arts community. He said Indonesia’s participation provides a strategic opportunity to introduce the country’s cultural identity to an international audience.

“This is also an opportunity to promote our culture because we have many talented artists and cultural figures,” Fadli Zon said.

In addition to artworks by Indonesian artists, the Indonesian Pavilion will also feature a collection of Indonesian art books as part of a reference space during the exhibition. The books are expected to help international visitors explore the diversity of Indonesia’s visual art traditions.

Fadli Zon also highlighted the long history of visual arts in Indonesia. He pointed to the recent recognition of one of the world’s oldest prehistoric cave paintings found in the country.

“On January 22, it was announced that the world’s oldest prehistoric cave painting was discovered in Indonesia, estimated to be 67,800 years old,” he said. “This shows that visual art in Indonesia is not a new tradition but a very long one rooted in regions such as Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and Sumatra.”

The Ministry of Culture has appointed Aminuddin TH Siregar, a curator from the National Gallery of Indonesia, to curate the Indonesian Pavilion. Indonesia plans to send 14 artists to present their works at the exhibition.

Indonesia’s participation in the Venice Biennale 2026 is part of the government’s cultural diplomacy strategy to introduce Indonesian art and culture to the world. The initiative is also expected to expand global networks and open opportunities for collaboration for Indonesian artists.