Details Unveiled as Jakarta's Modern Art Gallery Sets Official Opening Date

(Source: Travel Weekly China)

A major modern art museum will open its doors in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 4 November. The opening is set to coincide with the Jakarta Biennale and Museum MACAN will stage a variety of events to engage the city and promote its burgeoning art sector.

The passion project of Indonesian philanthropist and collector Haryanto Adikoesoemo, the multi-million dollar Museum MACAN – which stands for Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara – will house more than 800 works of modern and contemporary art.

The museum's maiden exhibition, Art Turns. World Turns. Exploring the Collection of Museum MACAN, will feature works by the nation's most respected artists, including Raden Saleh, S. Sudjojono and FX Harsono, as well as pieces by international names like Robert Rauschenberg and Yayoi Kusama.

“Museum MACAN's inaugural exhibition, curated by guest co-curators Charles Esche and Agung Hujatnika, is the first public unveiling of an extraordinary collection developed over two decades by our founder,” said Museum MACAN director Aaron Seeto.

“The works and overall message offer a reading of Indonesian art history in dialogue with world art history, and highlights the breadth and depth of the collection, and most importantly illustrates the museum's ongoing commitment to providing a platform for Indonesian and international artists on a global scale.”

The 43,000sq ft (4,000sq m) museum is located in the Kebon Jeruk neighbourhood of the sprawling Asian capital. The space has been designed by MET Studio. Facilities and amenities include an indoor sculpture garden, education zone, multimedia room, cafe and shop.

The London-based MET Studio created a curving, inviting space where ceilings and walls merge into each other for a “free and explorative museum experience”.