PEKALOKA, the Public Art Exhibition 2026, has kicked off at Suropati Park, Menteng, Central Jakarta. Set to run until Nov. 10, the exhibition presents a wide variety of artworks accessible to the capital’s residents.

Jakarta Cultural Agency Head Mochamad Miftahulloh Tamary expressed his appreciation to the Jakarta Arts Council (DKJ) and art practitioners who contributed to staging the event.

“We want the works displayed by these artists to be accessible and enjoyed by the wider community,” he expressed, Wednesday (11/4).

He also invited artists to support the World Cities Culture Forum in October 2027, an international gathering set to draw some 200 delegates representing 60 cities globally.

“Jakarta has been chosen to host the World Cities Culture Forum 2027. We are calling on artists to exhibit their art in public spaces to make our city even more renowned,” he explained.

Meanwhile, DKJ Daily Head Dewi Umaya Rachman stated that the exhibition embodies the council’s strategic goal of placing art right in the midst of the public.

The public art showcase seeks to encourage seamless, fluid interactions between the artworks, the artists, and society.

“Art is no longer positioned here as a passive spectacle, but as an ongoing dialogue that lives and breathes in everyday life,” she explained.

She went on to say that public spaces represent a city not just as physical or transit zones, but as organic social spaces shaping the experience of residents.

“Choosing Suropati Park was not simply a practical matter. As one of the city’s oldest parks standing the test of time, it offers an authentic portrait of the tangled dynamics, rhythm, and heartbeat of Jakarta,” she continued.

She further explained that the PEKALOKA Public Art Exhibition responds to the limited number of third places available to Jakarta residents.

Amid the hustle of city life, providing inclusive and human-oriented spaces that trigger social interaction is crucial for community well-being.

For DKJ, the exhibition represents a continuing effort to develop art presentations and interactions that resonate with the public’s current needs.

"This also marks DKJ’s pledge to support the provincial government in making Jakarta a global city. Real success is measured not just by economic metrics and infrastructure, but by the maturity of our cultural ecosystem and the quality of our cultural spaces,” she asserted.

She also expressed sincere thanks to the Cultural Agency, the Parks and City Forest Agency, UP PKJ, artists, curators, and all partners for making the exhibition possible.

“Enjoy the exhibition and join the conversation at Suropati Park. We eagerly await the public’s arrival to appreciate this art display,” she stated.