Art Collaboration Expands Global Networks for Indonesian Artists

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The SBY Art Community (SAC) painting exhibition at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Jakarta, strengthens Indonesia’s cultural diplomacy and expands opportunities for local artists to access international art networks.

Minister of Creative Economy/Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Teuku Riefky Harsya, said artworks can serve as a medium to introduce Indonesian ideas, perspectives, and identity to the global community. For this reason, collaboration between Indonesian and international artists must continue to grow.

“We extend our appreciation to the SBY Art Community and its painters. Through their works, the artists convey their responses and reflections on current global situations,” Minister Riefky said in a statement received in Jakarta on Thursday, August 20, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He noted that art allows global issues to be communicated through a language that transcends diverse backgrounds. International exhibitions and collaborations also provide Indonesian artists with opportunities to build networks and showcase their work on the global stage.

The exhibition, titled Art for Peace and a Better Future: Collaboration, runs from August 18 to 30, 2026, at the Emiria Soenassa Gallery and Oesman Effendi Gallery at TIM, Jakarta. The event commemorates the 81st anniversary of Indonesia’s independence and provides a space for artists to respond to global dynamics through their work.

Curated by Gie Sanjaya, the exhibition features 150 paintings: 52 works by Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), 29 by Berlin‑based artist Christopher Lehmpfuhl, 63 by SBY Art Community artists, five by young artists, and one collaborative piece.

The artists come from institutions such as ISI Yogyakarta, ISI Solo, ITB Bandung, and IKJ Jakarta, as well as independent artists.

The SBY Art Community, founded by Indonesia’s sixth president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, is a visual arts collective that brings together artists of various ages and backgrounds -- including young artists, professionals, academics, and SBY himself. The community focuses on themes of peace, humanity, and the future.

Representing his father, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), who is also SBY's son, said the exhibition serves as both a space for art appreciation and an instrument of cultural diplomacy.

The collaboration between Indonesian artists and Christopher Lehmpfuhl is also seen as a way to strengthen ties between Jakarta and Berlin as sister cities.

“Art can act as a moderating and pacifying force. Hopefully, the good relationship between the two cities and the two countries can be bridged through collaborations like this,” Minister AHY said.

He suggested that art exchanges could be expanded through reciprocal visits and joint exhibitions involving Indonesian and German artists.

Christopher Lehmpfuhl said his meeting with SBY in 2024 developed into both a friendship and an artistic collaboration. His visit to Indonesia gave him the opportunity to paint various landscapes alongside Indonesian artists.

He believes the experience reflects a shared spirit among artists from both nations, despite their different cultural backgrounds.

“For me, it is important to build bridges between different nations and cultures. Art offers hope, brings people together, and fosters positive perspectives,” Christopher said.

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy hopes the exhibition will broaden public appreciation for art and create more opportunities for interaction between Indonesian artists and the international community.

Through such initiatives, art can continue to serve as an instrument of cultural diplomacy, showcase Indonesian creativity, and expand global networks for national artists. ***