Oesman Effendi Exhibition Reexamines Artist’s Legacy in Indonesian Modern Art

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com — As part of the celebrations for Jakarta’s 499th anniversary, the Museum and Cultural Heritage Division of the Indonesian National Gallery has collaborated with the OE Foundation to present an exhibition titled Oesman Effendi (1919–1985): Archives and Works.

Head of the Museum and Cultural Heritage Division, Indira Estiyanti Nurjadin, said the exhibition forms part of efforts to preserve the nation’s cultural memory while providing space for public appreciation and critical engagement with OE’s intellectual legacy and artistic practice.

According to her, the exhibition is important in reintroducing OE, whose contributions played a significant role in shaping Indonesia’s cultural and artistic landscape.

“We hope this exhibition will serve as a medium for the public to gain a deeper understanding of OE and inspire today’s generation to continue nurturing the spirit of creativity,” she said in Jakarta on Thursday, June 25, 2026.

Meanwhile, the exhibition’s curators—Aminudin TH Siregar, Citra Smara Dewi, and Karamina Puspitasari—said the exhibition seeks to reposition OE within the historiography of modern Indonesian art.

They noted that the artist should be understood not only as an abstract painter, but also as a thinker who bridged international modernism with the artistic and cultural experiences of the Indonesian archipelago.

Through a reexamination of the concept of “Kesan Dalam” (“Inner Impression”), the exhibition presents not only archives, contemporary batik paintings, and woodcut works by Oesman Effendi, but also invites the public to explore his intellectual contributions, which have long received limited attention.

The exhibition is scheduled to be officially opened by Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Culture, Giring Ganesha Djumaryo, on Friday, June 26, 2026, at the Indonesian National Gallery.

Following the opening, Oesman Effendi (1919–1985): Archives and Works will be open to the public from June 27 to September 6, 2026, at Building B, Level 1, of the Indonesian National Gallery. Visiting hours are Tuesday to Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. WIB and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. WIB. The gallery is closed on Mondays.

Visitors may register and purchase admission tickets either on-site at the Indonesian National Gallery or online through the Traveloka and tiket.com applications.

Current ticket prices are Rp25,000 for students from preschool through university level, Rp50,000 for adult visitors, Rp150,000 for foreign nationals, and Rp50,000 for foreign visitors holding a KITAS (limited stay permit). Admission is free for children under three years old, visitors aged over 60, persons with disabilities, orphans, and holders of KIP and KIPK cards.

The ticket grants access to all exhibitions currently being held at the Indonesian National Gallery. In addition to the exhibition itself, a series of public programs, including a symposium and guided exhibition tours, will also be organized.