Jakarta Vice Governor Rano Karno officially opened the Jakarta Provoke contemporary art exhibition at Menteng Park, Jalan HOS Cokroaminoto, RT 03/RW 05, Menteng, Central Jakarta.

The exhibition, featuring works by 25 artists and curated by 25 curators, will run through Sunday (7/26).

During the opening, Rano challenged the organizers to hold a larger Jakarta Provoke exhibition next year along the Sudirman-Thamrin corridor as part of Jakarta's 500th anniversary celebrations in 2027.

"I'm challenging the organizers. Next year, Jakarta will celebrate its 500th anniversary. We have an incredible stretch of public space from Ratu Plaza to Hotel Indonesia—that should be our exhibition venue," Rano said on Friday (7/17).

He urged the organizing committee to begin developing the concept, expressing hope that Jakarta Provoke 2027 would become one of the city's signature events celebrating Jakarta's 500th anniversary.

Rano said the stretch of Jalan MH Thamrin, from the Ratu Plaza area on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman to Hotel Indonesia at the Bundaran HI, should serve as a showcase for public art. Besides providing artists with a space to express their creativity, he said public exhibitions could also help boost Jakarta's standing in global city rankings.

"I want this to become a public space for artists to showcase their work. Jakarta's standing as a global city is also measured by its open, international-scale cultural events," he emphasized.

Rano added that this was why he had encouraged this year's Jakarta Provoke to be held at Menteng Park. He said the park, particularly its greenhouse facility, had yet to be fully utilized for public events.

He also encouraged artists to use Menteng Park not only during the annual Jakarta Provoke exhibition but throughout the year as a public space to display their work.

"I hope Jakarta Provoke becomes more than just an annual event. It should continue challenging itself to grow and become a platform where new works of art can emerge and gain recognition nationally and internationally," he said.