As one of Indonesia’s most dynamic contemporary art galleries, ROH Projects commenced its journey with an innate desire to provide a platform for local talents on the cusp of greatness. Established in 2014, the gallery has been steadily expanding, extending its support and collaboration to artists, fostering discussions locally and globally, and amassing greater resources to make art accessible to the community.
(Header photo: Mella Jaarsma’s solo exhibition, Performing Artifacts: Objects in Question, at ROH, Jakarta (2022). Photography by Maruto. Courtesy of The Artist and ROH.)
Story by Ibrahim Soetomo | Photos by ROH Projects
In 2022, ROH Projects moved to a permanent location at Jalan Surabaya 66, Central Jakarta. They ingeniously transformed a colonial, mid-century house into a unique, adaptable space that allows for the fullest expression of artistic exploration. The gallery consistently curates ambitious and unconventional solo and group exhibitions, continuously pushing the boundaries of how contemporary art can be presented and appreciated.
With a focus on fostering more profound collaboration, ROH Projects has also served as a representative gallery for several artists since 2015. Their first represented artist was Syaiful Aulia Garibaldi, whose work seamlessly fuses the realms of art and biology. Over time, ROH Projects has established partnerships with a diverse array of artists, each with their distinctive artistic practices. Together, they have actively engaged with the Indonesian art scene and participated on the international stage. Here, we introduce five of these remarkable artists.
Mella Jaarsma
Mella Jaarsma is a Netherlands-born artist and the co-founder of Cemeti Art House, which has since transformed into the Cemeti Institute for Art & Society, alongside Nindityo Adipurnomo in 1988. Jaarsma is renowned for her clothing and costume installations, often incorporating delegated performances to address themes related to the human body and the social and cultural contexts it occupies. Through her intricate and surrealistic costumes, Jaarsma’s artistic creations delve into subjects like colonialism, racial diversity, fashion, and food culture.
Jaarsma has actively participated in numerous exhibitions in Indonesia and across the world. Her recent solo exhibition, Performing Artifacts: Objects in Questions, held in October and November 2022 in collaboration with ROH Projects, served as a comprehensive survey of Jaarsma’s works created between 2010 and 2022, many of which had not been previously exhibited in Indonesia. Furthermore, she has recently contributed to events such as S.E.A. Focus (2023) and Art Basel Hong Kong (2023). One of her notable works, Hi inlander (1999), is part of the collection at the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane.
Kei Imazu
Kei Imazu, a Japanese artist currently residing in Bandung, employs a unique artistic approach in her work. She focuses on collecting, reconstructing, and distorting images sourced from the vast expanse of the Internet. Subsequently, she meticulously traces these images onto the canvas using a realistic oil painting technique. The outcome of her creative process is a body of work characterized by fragmented and fantastical imagery.
Imazu has showcased her art through various solo exhibitions, such as Mapping the Land/Body/Stories of its Past at ANOMALY in Tokyo, Japan (2021), and Sowed Them to the Earth at the Jessica Silverman Gallery in San Francisco, U.S. (2023). Her artwork has also been featured in esteemed exhibitions, including Frieze Seoul (2023), Alternative Sea for Asia at the Jeonnam Museum of Art in Jeollanam-do, South Korea (2023), and Art Basel Hong Kong (2023).
Tromarama
Founded in 2006, Tromarama is an art collective comprising Febie Babyrose, Herbert Hans and Ruddy Hatumena. They crossed paths and pursued their studies at the Bandung Institute of Technology. Their shared focus lies in the impact of digital media and hyperreality on contemporary global society. They meld video art, installation, computer programming, and public engagement, particularly through online platforms.
In 2022, they staged their inaugural solo exhibition, Personalia, in collaboration with ROH Projects, encompassing the increasingly blurred boundaries between labour, leisure, and their interplay with the digital realm. Notably, their recent involvements include Indonesia Bertutur (2022), Art Basel Hong Kong (2023), and Frieze Seoul (2023). Most notably, they were commissioned to create an extensive video work titled Growing Pillars on the M+ Facade in Hong Kong.
Nadya Jiwa
The Bandung-based artist Nadya Jiwa specialises in the realm of painting. Her artwork captivates observers with its portrayal of dark dreamscapes, typically rendered through a skilful blend of impressionistic and expressionistic techniques, largely dominated by a near-monochromatic palette.
Amongst her notable exhibitions are the solo showcase Khayal | Chimeric in collaboration with ROH Projects, Liste Showtime (2021) held in Basel, Switzerland, and her participation in the Basel Social Club (2023). Nadya also made her mark at Art Basel Hong Kong (2023). Currently, her work is prominently featured in the Biennale Jogja 17: Titen (2023).
Davy Linggar
The Jakarta-based artist Davy Linggar is a versatile artist whose work spans photography, video, drawing, and painting. His artistic focus gravitates toward the interplay of perception and memory, particularly in relation to images. Amongst his diverse creations, his paintings stand out, often capturing the nuanced intricacies of everyday human gestures.
In his recent solo exhibition, Aperture, hosted at ROH Projects, Linggar unveiled a collection of new paintings meticulously rendered on square wood panels. These paintings zoom in on various places and contexts, meticulously photographed to the point where the line between reality and the imaginary becomes delightfully blurred.
Linggar’s artistic journey has taken him to numerous local and international exhibitions, with notable recent appearances at events such as Frieze Seoul (2023),
Our Week PROCESS ITW in Seoul, South Korea, and Art Basel Hong Kong (2023).