Gajah Gallery returns to Art Jakarta Gardens 2026 with Plots of Perception, a presentation that mirrors the rich and multivaried nature of Southeast Asian art. Spanning a selection of seventeen cross-generational artists, the exhibit highlights reality as truth in flux, mapping personal memory and cultural contexts to form subjective realities.
Delving into Balinese heritage are pioneering figures Made Wianta and Dewa Putu Mokoh. Opening up a more personal and playful chapter of Balinese art, Mokoh departs from the intricacies of the Pengosekan style by utilising clean lines and soft hues to usher characters from folklore into a playful, contemporary light. Similarly, Made Wianta stands both as a custodian of tradition and a relentless innovator — reconfiguring Balinese cosmology through calligraphic rhythm, bold colours, and geometric forms.
Across the booth and sculptural garden, Yunizar’s inimitable and playful characters take charge. His works straddle the line between the natural and the fantastical, reflecting the artist’s ever-expanding imagination and celebration of the everyday. In contrast, Rosit Mulyadi’s expressive figurative works recontextualise paintings and iconography from Old Masters and pop culture to confront the socio-political realities of today.
Charging the presentation with their boundless explorations of colour are Erizal As and Ibrahim, who delve deep into their inner worlds to push the boundaries of abstract expressionism and give form to the inexplicable. In parallel are emerging artists Dini Nur Aghnia and Ridho Rizki, who offer alternative ways of seeing. Aghnia’s clay works evoke the fragmented nature of memory in depicting lush landscapes, while Rizki’s still-life paintings merge elements of Pointillism and Impressionism to emulate the way the human eye perceives form.
Eminent Filipino artists, Mark Justiniani and Kiri Dalena extend the interrogation of sight in their multi-layered works. Justiniani plays with perception through his signature use of mirrors, meticulously arranging them to create infinite reflections and illusions of endless space. In poignant dialogue, Dalena’s work addresses the sociopolitical dimensions of the gaze, amending colonial photographs cataloguing nude Tagalog women, invoking a powerful act of protection and agency.
Complementing them are Indonesian artists Jemana Murti, Satya Cipta, and Singapore’s Loi Cai Xiang whose contemporary voices offer fresh perspectives and incisive critiques. Merging sacred symbology with artificial intelligence, Murti’s sculptural works visualise the intersection of tradition and modernity as they reflect on the religious and cultural landscapes of Bali. In contrast, Cipta’s soft yet subversive paintings center the female experience through fluid linework and surreal motifs, while Loi Cai Xiang masterfully utilises light and shadow in painting atmospheric works that capture moments of the day to day.
With unconventional materiality, Kayleigh Goh and Dzikrah Afifah translate memory and experience into material explorations. Using wood, cement, and gesso, Goh puts together meditative works that touch upon the poetics and psychological depths of space. Meanwhile, Afifah’s evocative figurative sculptures capture the essence of identity, resilience, and the shared human experience.
Plots of Perception reflects Gajah Gallery’s sustained commitment to the continued development of Southeast Asian art. The presentation will be on view at Tent B, Booth B2, from 5 – 10 May 2026 at Art Jakarta Gardens.
