The cultural center Erasmus Huis in Jakarta officially opened its latest exhibition, Bukan Tentang Sampah (“It Is Not About Waste”), on Thursday, 5 February 2026. The exhibition, developed under the Co/Lab program by Dutch Design Foundation in collaboration with Wahu (WAste HUbs), offers a fresh perspective on waste by reframing it as a continuous flow of materials within everyday life. Following the opening, the exhibition runs for the public from 6 February to 2 May 2026 at Erasmus Huis, Jakarta.
Prior to the official opening at 19:30, invited journalists were welcomed to a press tour at 17:00, where they were guided through the exhibition and engaged in discussions with the lead designers and speakers. The tour allowed media participants to explore the exhibition’s immersive zones and better understand the concept behind the project: shifting the narrative from “waste” to “materials in motion.”
The exhibition explores how people consume, value, and eventually discard plastic materials. However, rather than presenting waste as an endpoint, Bukan Tentang Sampah positions disposal as a decision that shapes a broader system of production, consumption, and social responsibility. This perspective encourages visitors to rethink daily habits and recognize that throwing something away can be the beginning of a new material life cycle.
A key feature of the exhibition is the collaboration between two Indonesian designers—Ade Amelia and Dhania Yasmin—and two Dutch designers—Mayra Kapteijn and Noud Sleumer. Selected through an open call, the designers bring diverse cultural backgrounds and professional approaches to create practical, community-based solutions for waste management in Indonesia. Their work emphasizes that waste management is not only a technical issue, but also a social one that requires participation, awareness, and collective action.
As highlighted, the exhibition reflects the belief that changing collective mindsets can transform behavior, reduce waste, and sustain material value. The design process therefore becomes a tool for social innovation, enabling communities to engage directly with environmental challenges and co-create solutions that are inclusive and locally relevant.
The Co/Lab initiative itself plays a central role in bringing together designers, researchers, organizations, and government actors to translate complex challenges into concrete design questions. By facilitating collaboration across disciplines, the program supports creative experimentation and promotes sustainable solutions to global issues such as plastic waste and climate change.
In addition, Wahu’s involvement demonstrates how innovative systems can empower communities through circular waste management models. By integrating technology, recycling networks, and financial incentives, Wahu encourages individuals to actively participate in waste collection and sorting, while also supporting local livelihoods.
Erasmus Huis, as the cultural center of the Netherlands in Jakarta, provides an ideal platform for such collaborative projects. Known for its commitment to inclusivity and cultural exchange, the venue continues to serve as a meeting space where Indonesian and Dutch artists, thinkers, and communities come together to exchange ideas and inspire change.
Ultimately, Bukan Tentang Sampah is not simply an exhibition—it is an invitation to rethink our relationship with materials, consumption, and community responsibility. By encouraging visitors to view waste as part of a continuous system rather than a final outcome, the exhibition challenges us to become more conscious participants in shaping a sustainable future.
Through dialogue, design, and collaboration, the exhibition underscores a powerful message: waste is not the end of a story, but the beginning of a new one.
