East Jakarta Mayor Muhammad Anwar, inaugurated the Artists Gallery at Gembrong Baru Market, Jalan Basuki Rahmat, Jatinegara, on Thursday (8/6).

According to him, Gembrong Baru Market was originally developed to accommodate street vendors (PKL) for children's toys and carpets on Jalan Basuki Rahmat. Unfortunately the market was empty of visitors so many traders left. Yet art actors took advantage of this condition as a venue for exhibitions as well as being creative in which the market would be used as a tourist destination for fine arts.

"Our hope is all related units will support it thus the artist gallery becomes a tourist destination art," he expressed, Thursday (8/6).

He went on to say that this artist gallery was only in Gembrong Baru Market. Artists could be creative in carrying out their activities there but still carry out health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"I also ask them (artists) to create art education thus people can increasingly comply with health protocols. At least there are scratches by artists that can touch the public about COVID-19 education," he explained.

Jakarta Raya Artists Leader Andi Suwandi expressed the gallery's artists could be the event of collaboration between artists and the community. His party was going to invite artists to continuously promote to the public and make this gallery as a venue for tourist destinations in the field of fine arts. The market itself had 35 stalls that could be used by 80 artists to be creative.

"There are many works of art, there are fine arts, crafts, sculpture, contemporary painting and abstract. Then there are literary books, music to antiques. Everything is integrated in this gallery and we will make it a tourist destination area that is in demand by many people," he stated.