Even in the middle of the heavy rain, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the yearly annual Jakarta Gardens event is officially held again at Hutan Kota by Plantaran, Senayan, Central Jakarta. This year, the event will run until April 27, 2025.
If previously this art exhibition collaborated with Bibit and Treasury, this time the banking company, BCA, also joins as one of the lead partners this year.
The Spark of Opening Night
The opening night was made even more special by the presence of the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia Fadli Zon and his Deputy Giring Ganesha, the Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar, the head of Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Office Andhika Permata, and the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Armin Limo.
They joined the lead partner representatives and directors at the event.
How it started
Through his speech, CEO and founder of Hutan Kota by Plantaran, Yozua Makes, said, this event was born unexpectedly. It started from the pandemic era, at that time, all the indoor activities were very strict.
Because of that, many art lovers and artists tell their worries through social media, and some of them asked Art Jakarta directly, “Will art exhibitions go quiet back then too?”. It was only in 2022 that MRA Group came up with a proposal that wanted to blend the beauty of nature and art.
With the number of art galleries involved increasing each year, Jakarta Gardens is becoming the only art exhibition in Indonesia held outdoors and one of the best in Southeast Asia.
An Exciting Plan for a New Additional Event from Art Jakarta
The other highlights at the 2025 Jakarta Gardens opening ceremony were Tom Tandio, the Art Jakarta Fair Director, who proudly announced that they are currently developing another art fair that focuses on paper art as the main spotlight.
He believes this future third event will expand and support the space for art production, which is very active year by year.
4th Edition Jakarta Gardens
This year, Hutan Kota by Plantaran areas will be divided into 4 areas including outdoor area that showcases sculptures and the indoor area that shows painting art, which is separated into two tents.
Sculptures Gardens
In the outdoor area, there will be 28 three-dimensional artworks spread in the middle of the trees.
Some of the highlights are popular characters such as Si Juki by Faza Meonk, hanging metal artwork in the middle of the tree by Kadek Armika, and toy figures in the pond area by Adi Gunawan.
Every artwork will have a little info board with the title, the artist’s name, and their contact details in case the visitors are interested in buying it.
25 Art Galleries in Indoor Area
The indoor area offers a valuable complement to the 3D art installation, featuring a thoughtfully curated selection of contemporary paintings and small sculptures from 25 art galleries across Indonesia, showcasing the talents of various artists. This collection includes individual pieces, series, and mixed media works, all organized into two distinct tents.
Visitors are encouraged to engage with the exhibition by exploring the stories and meanings behind each artwork, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of the displayed pieces.
Interactive Area by Lead Partners
Near Tent A, you will find several interactive installations created by Bibit, Flowers of Hope, and Arkiv Vilmansa. This area also features a joint installation from Ronald McDonald House Charities and the Museum of Toys.
With a beautiful collaboration with Museum of Toys artists, the booth invites the audience to share their love and create a positive impact through the foundation. Titled #Bear4Love Campaign, the main goal is to support every child and their families together in these crisis times.
Various Live Music and Talk Shows
The art exhibition is not the only attraction; the Nusantara Lobby and Mango Deck areas will also host a variety of talk show sessions and live music performances from several renowned and classic musicians. A highlight of the event will be the performances by Sal Priadi, and Iskandar Muda on April 25, 2025.
Additionally, the closing night will showcase beloved Indonesian singers from the past, including Rita Nila, Rien Djamain, Ermy Kullit, and Margie Segers.
In addition, Art Jakarta will present a theater performance from an art group in Yogyakarta, Prehistoric Boy Theatre. Interestingly, this group will present a performance whose story is quite fresh and different from other arts.
The title is Sangiran 17: ERECTUSTOPIA. Exploring the connection between ancestral heritage and contemporary embodied practice.
Read Also: 2025 Art Jakarta Gardens, An Outdoor Art Exhibition on Urban Forest
Operational Hours and How to Get There Using Public Transport
Jakarta Gardens is open from 1 PM to 9 PM, and the site is quite accessible via public transport. Guests can take the Transjakarta and disembark at the GBK bus stop, or they can opt for the MRT and get off at Istora Mandiri Station, then walk through Gate 7 of GBK.
