Opening: 5 October 2025, 15.00 - 21.00 WIB at Kampoeng Mataraman
Building upon the momentum of the 17th Biennale held in 2023, the 18th edition of Biennale Jogja continues to navigate the overarching themes of TRANSLOCALITY and TRANSHISTORICITY as part of the Second Round of the Equator (Khatulistiwa) Series. The curatorial team Bob Edrian (Jakarta), Eva Lin (Taiwan), and ketjilbergerak (Yogyakarta) has announced "KAWRUH: Land of Rooted Practices" as both the title and curatorial framework.
"Kawruh", etymologically rooted in the Javanese language, signifies knowledge as an accumulation of experience critically processed through reason and conscience. Within the scope of Biennale Jogja 18, "KAWRUH" is conceived as a set of diverse artistic practices anchored in the commitment to deeply explore the intricacies of knowledge itself. "KAWRUH" is interpreted as a constellation of diverse artistic practices grounded in the attitude and effort to deeply explore the complexities of knowledge. This knowledge—understood as practices and awareness embedded within local wisdom—manifests through an artistic framework that lives in harmony with nature and surrounding communities.
Biennale Jogja 18 maintains its dedication to close collaboration with various social groups and meaningful engagement with local contexts, actively working to reclaim history and narrate mythology, cosmology, and belief systems as responses to shifting landscapes, seas and social movements. Approximately 60 artists from different regions and countries will participate in Biennale Jogja 18, celebrating the richness of each locality as a strong blossoming of solidarity among Global South communities.
Phase II will take place from October 5 to November 20, 2025, spanning three key locations: Yogyakarta City, Panggungharjo Village, and Bangunjiwo Village. This phase centers on collaborative work between artists and communities, tracing landscapes and local traditions as expressions of collective awareness toward changing times. The Biennale Jogja 18 positions transnational and translocal work at its core as a means of constructing new collective imaginations.
Artists Phase II:
Abdi Karya (Indonesia/Makassar)
Agnes Hansella (Indonesia/Jakarta)
Ali Umar (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Anga Art Collective (India)
Arahmaiani (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
BIYA Project (Indonesia/Bandung)
Bukhi Prima Putri (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Dicky Takndare and Kevin van Braak (Indonesia/Papua and Netherlands)
Djoko Pekik (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Dolorosa Sinaga (Indonesia/Jakarta)
Egga Jaya (Indonesia/Bandung)
Entang Wiharso (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Fadriah Syuaib (Indonesia/Ternate)
Faisal Kamandobat (Indonesia/Cilacap)
Faris Wibisono (Indonesia/Wonogiri)
Fioretti Vera (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Gata Mahardika (Indonesia/Gresik)
Gilang Anom Manapu Manik (Indonesia/Bandung)
Hashel Al Lamki (UAE)
Herjaka H.S (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Imal Malabar (Indonesia/Gorontalo)
Inter-Asia Woodcut Mapping (Hong Kong)
Irene Agrivina (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Ismu Ismoyo (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Iwan Yusuf (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Jessica Soekidi (Indonesia/Jakarta) in collaboration with Nurohmad (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Karen Hardini in collaboration with Jagad Cilik (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Kawayan de Guia (Philippines)
Kelly Jin Mei (Singapore)
Ki Warno Waskito/Warsono (Indonesia/Yogyakarta), sound response by Ali Azca
Kolektif Arungkala (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Kukuh Ramadhan (Indonesia/Palu)
KV Duong (UK)
Laboratorium Sedusun (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Li-Tzu Hsu (Taiwan)
Liu Yu (Taiwan)
Marten Bayu Aji (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Mia Bustam (Indonesia/Jakarta) and archival studies with Astrid Reza (Indonesia/Yogyakarta), Sylvie Tanaga (Indonesia/Bandung), Alfian Widi (Indonesia/Jombang), Awanda B. Destia (Indonesia/Yogyakarta), Kemala Hayati (Indonesia/Yogyakarta), Nadya Hatta (Indonesia/Yogyakarta), Nessa Theo (Indonesia, Yogyakarta), Chandra Rosselinni (Yogyakarta)
Mila Turajlić (Serbia)
Nathalie Muchamad (France/New Caledonia)
Novi Kristinawati (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Perupa Kulonprogo (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Posak Jodian (Taiwan)
Rani Jambak (Indonesia/Padang)
Reetu Sattar (Bangladesh)
Riyan Kresnandi and MIVUBI (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Shooshie Sulaiman and Ayaka Yoshida (Malaysia and Japan)
Situationist Under Record (Indonesia)
Syaura Qotrunadha (Indonesia/Jakarta)
Takahiro Iwasaki (Japan)
Thao Nguyen Phan (Vietnam)
Val Lee (Taiwan)
Vina Puspita (Indonesia/Yogyakarta)
Yuma Taru & Studio Lihan (Taiwan)
Yuta Niwa (Japan)
Zhang Xu Zhan (Taiwan)
Biennale Jogja 18 Phase II Venues:
1. Yogyakarta City
Vredeburg Fort Museum
Main Post Office
2. Bangunjiwo Village
Bibis Monument
Plataran Djokopekik
Purnama Store
3. Panggungharjo Village
The Ratan
Gubuk Putih
Karangkitri Cultural Area
Pendhapa Art Space
Kampoeng Mataraman
Ndalem Brotoasmaran
Performers at the Opening of the 18th Jogja Biennale Phase 2:
Performance by Jathilan Panggung Perwira
Dance Performance by Kudho Prawesti (Sanggar Pramesti)
Performance by Rani Jambak
Performance Wayang Purwa Padat "Janur Anjartaka"
Dhalang/Puppeteer: Ki Gibran Kawipuja Permadi
Karawitan/Music: Bajra Gangsa
Beyond exhibitions across multiple venues, the Biennale Jogja 18 will present a rich array of public programs including discussions, film screenings, community festivals, and performances, where these serve as platforms to engage with local histories and knowledge systems while reflecting on contemporary village social life in dialogue with wider global issues.
As part of the preparations for Round II of Biennale Jogja 18, Manajemen Talenta Nasional (MTN) Seni Budaya—a national priority program under the Ministry of Culture—is once again organizing MTN Lab:A fine arts residency. It is an initiative that forms part of the talent development phase within the MTN Seni Budaya scheme. This year, the residency program is hosted in Yogyakarta, with Yayasan Biennale Yogyakarta serving as the implementing partner.
MTN Lab serves as a platform for creation and artistic development through residency programs, incubation, and master classes that support the creative process comprehensively. This program is designed to identify, nurture, and promote Indonesian arts and culture talents in a structured and sustainable manner. In addition, MTN Lab connects young talents with various opportunities for capacity building and market access, both nationally and internationally.
This intensive program, running from September 24 to October 7, 2025, involves 20 artists and 6 curators from various regions across Indonesia. This edition of the MTN Lab residency at Biennale Jogja will serve as a space for young artists and curators to experiment, engage in dialogue, and build networks.
During the residency, participants will take part in a series of activities, including joint and individual classes, studio visits, and collaborative exhibition production. Toward the end of the program, participants will be grouped to share insights gained from classes and studio visits, while also expressing their individual interests and practices through works presented in a joint exhibition. The exhibition will be held at Ning Art Space and Sangkasa Gallery in Bantul, and will become part of Biennale Jogja 18: Kawruh”.
We look forward to seeing you all.
