JAKARTA, Indonesia – JAKARI, Indonesia (AP) A series of art exhibits, including one on the life and works of the Indonesian art critic Kusama, has brought Jakarta to a standstill.
Art gallery and museum manager Shubaya Pramana said the exhibitions included works from the art world, from the likes of Picasso and Rembrandt to the modernist artist Ai Weiwei.
Art is not just an art thing, but a means of expressing ourselves, she said.
The exhibition includes works by Kusuma, a critic of Indonesian art who lived from 1929 to 1967.
She said the collection includes works from a variety of Indonesian artists, including Ai Wei Wei, Dali, Dusan Dzyuba, J. Paul Getty and other artists.
The exhibit was put on by the JAKARTI Museum, which is a joint venture of the Jakarta government and private companies.
It is scheduled to run through Nov. 17.
Pramana says the exhibit was created for the benefit of the city’s art and culture, not for profit.
She said it will be displayed in a central location.
“It’s a good example of how the government works,” she said, adding that the art is not only for profit but also for the sake of education.
Jakarta’s economy is in recession and has been hit by a wave of deadly bombings and a spike in the death toll from a series of attacks.