In Flux and In Focus: Embracing Beginnings through Ara Contemporary’s Opening

Anticipation is no stranger to the South Jakartan art scene and Ara Contemporary stands as a space that answers to its restlessness. Nestled in the city’s business district, the gallery recently opened its doors for public viewing. Ara Contemporary seeks to fulfill the mission of “thoughtfully advocating for Southeast Asian artists”, which is embodied by the name ‘ara’ as a bindmark of the founders’ initials (Arlin, Ramadanti, Chandra) and their belief towards its Sanskrit etymology of (inter)connectedness. A reverence for their name is evident in Ara’s approach towards identity-building and through the establishment of its gallery as “a place of shelter, adaptability and consideration of others”.

Credit: Ara Contemporary

Under the title "We Begin with Everything", their first exhibition is a homage to the theme of ‘beginning’ in relation to the gallery’s inception and the artists’ processes of becoming. Each piece responds to the theme by presenting different conceptualisations of self, including Carmen Ceniga Prado and Alisa Chunchue’s centrality of the figuration of the body, Enggar Rhomadioni, Marcos Kueh, Natalie Sasi Organ, Kelly Jin Mei, Mar Kristoff, Wedhar Riyadi, Albert Yonathan Setyawan, Irfan Hendrian and Iwan Effendi’s materialities of the (present) human conditions to Dawn Ng, Condro Priyoaji, Xiuching Tsay, Ipeh Nur, S. Urubingwaru and Agan Harahap’s responses towards the ontology of time. Upon sight, the art pieces stand as incredibly distinct in their aesthetic, but their placement automates a pattern of contrast that reverberates throughout the gallery space. 

The strength of Ara’s identity reverberates through its design. There is a neutral colour palette that is associated with its visual identity, which is apparent through the gallery’s digital presence (on Instagram and its website) as well as the architecture of the gallery itself. All clean lines and exposed concrete, the building stands in quiet defiance of South Jakarta’s sprawling skyline. Step inside, and that same restrained sensibility continues—visitors are met with a contemplative minimalism, where white walls and open space offer a serene backdrop for the gallery’s evolving exhibitions. This white-cube format creates an experience of viewership that allows for the art to speak for itself. 

The first exhibition has established Ara Contemporary as an emerging force within the art world, most especially for their focus on engaging with “the context of Southeast Asia”. To imagine Southeast Asia beyond the context of geography offers an interesting framework to ponder about the possibilities of (re)imagining Southeast Asia: what/who constitutes Southeast Asia? This broader conversation has been a growing discourse within the realm of arts and culture and upon participation, we witness the importance of art to become a language that allows its conception or rejection. 

Ara contemporary’s We Begin with Everything is open to the public from 12 April to 4 May 2025. The gallery’s operational hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 11AM to 7pm and they are available on Sunday based on appointment.