Sneaker Peek

A brief look back at ‘Bazaar Art’, and what we can expect from the newly named ‘Art Jakarta’.

- Carla Bianpoen

On 27 July 2017, Indonesia’s first art fair, ‘Bazaar Art’, will begin its 9th edition as ‘Art Jakarta’. The new name is in line with the spirit of the time when art fairs are made to highlight the city where it is held. Founded in 2009 by Bazaar Art Magazine, the fair resulted from the felt need for bringing art closer to the people. “At that time we were encouraged by galleries that had no place to adequately display the works of their artists”, says Indriati Wirjanto, head of this year’s fair committee.

Of course, a lot has changed over the years, and with art fairs popping up in Singapore and elsewhere in the region, it has become more challenging to get galleries to participate. It became even more challenging last year when another commercial art fair, Art Stage Jakarta, entered the scene in Indonesia’s capital. But Bazaar Art remained undeterred, or so it seemed.

In fact, competition raked up their energy evoking creative powers to emerge as never before. Vivi Yip was appointed the fair director and Rifky Effendy the creative director. Vivi is known as an art lover, curator and collector, with ten years’ experience as Sotheby’s representative for art from Southeast Asia. Passionate about contemporary art development in Indonesia and beyond, she has helped many young artists to come to the fore. She successfully founded Vivi Yip ArtRoom, and further extended art activism by founding the Young Indonesian Contemporary Artists (YICA).