Jakarta Biennale as an exhibition was first conceived by the Jakarta Arts Council in 1974 under the name of the Great Indonesian Painting Exhibition and became an international-scale one in 2009. From the beginning it has always been trying to set up creative, participatory, and collaborative urban spaces for its citizens right up to this day. It has been mustering collaborations with various parties, whether the government, citizens, artists, or the ecosystem of creative workers, in reviving the dynamics of the city’s culture and developing the city’s economy. Its chosen theme for each of its edition is an attempt to expand the cultural and visual arts discourses, especially those that inspire and ignite conversations to respond to changes that perpetually take place in all facets of life. We still believe in an old saying suggesting that experience is the best educational tool. Through the people’s interaction with international and domestic contemporary artworks on display, the Jakarta Biennale (JB) hopes to provide citizens with a new participatory and inspirational experience to enhance the public appreciation for contemporary art practices. In fact, the Jakarta Biennale has established itself in consistently making optimal use of the arts and cultural infrastructure. Hence, this event is always able to offer relevant, important, and current ideas in both national and international contexts.
