ICAD 16 Highlights Our Present Conditions and the Possibilities of What Lies Ahead
Indonesia Contemporary Art & Design (ICAD) has reached its 16th edition. Running until 8 November at grandkemang Hotel Jakarta, ICAD takes “Being: Becoming” as its theme, exploring the idea of our present conditions (being) and the various possibilities of moving beyond them (becoming). This year, more than 40 artists, designers, and creative practitioners from Indonesia and abroad use art and design as a means of exploring a range of questions and experiences. The exhibited works highlight issues surrounding power, memory, culture, technological developments, and personal experiences.
“The process of becoming, then, is about negotiating with the forces that shape us, imagining other possibilities, and taking – or reclaiming, even if only for a moment – the freedom needed simply to ‘be’, while carrying the fragments we refuse to let disappear,” said Putra Hidayatullah, the curator.
Unlike previous editions, ICAD 16 features works by artists and creative practitioners from 12 countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Japan, South Korea, Palestine, Turkey, France, the Netherlands, Uganda, and the United States.
This year’s Special Appearance pays tribute to a prominent Indonesian figure, Made Wianta, a contemporary artist known for his boundless explorations of style and visual language. Several other notable names also enrich ICAD 16 through their diverse works. In the In Focus category, Putu Sutawijaya, a Yogyakarta-based painter widely recognised for his figurative works, takes part in the exhibition. Also featured is Ahmet Öğüt, a Netherlands-based interdisciplinary artist whose work highlights solidarity with Palestine.
In the Featured category, Jamaluddin Phonna, an artist from Aceh also known as a documentary filmmaker and researcher, explores how local communities remember the tsunami, while Larissa Sansour, a Palestinian visual artist, uses science fiction to address the history and identity of her people.
New perspectives also emerge through the Open Call, which brings together selected artists from more than 100 applicants. Among them is Clarissa Tiffany, an Indonesian visual artist and curator who explores the experiences, memories, and histories of Chinese-Indonesian women. Also participating is Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Hamlatul Arsy Mulia Bolkiah from Brunei Darussalam, a curator and independent researcher who highlights various aspects of Malay cultural beliefs in this year’s exhibition.
“From the beginning, ICAD has served as an inclusive space that brings together art, design, and various disciplines. At ICAD 16, we once again open our doors to artists and creative practitioners from Indonesia and around the world to present their works and perspectives. We hope ICAD can be an accessible and welcoming space for the public to enjoy artworks, encounter different ideas, and discover the various possibilities that emerge from cross-disciplinary encounters,” said Edwin Nazir, Festival Director of ICAD.
In collaboration with artists, creative practitioners, associations, and foreign cultural centres, ICAD 16 also presents a range of public programmes, including talks and workshops throughout the exhibition, alongside the Kemang 12730 neighbourhood programme. For more information, visit www.arturaicad.com or follow the official @icadartura account on Instagram and other social media platforms.
