Yogyakarta, May 14, 2026 — The Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Yogyakarta hosted the National Drawing Art Exhibition themed “The Reawakening of Drawing – Drawing the Reawakening: Greater Indonesia Draws.” The exhibition opened on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 3:30 PM Western Indonesian Time, at the R.J. Katamsi Gallery, ISI Yogyakarta, Jalan Parangtritis Km 6.5, Bantul, Yogyakarta.
This exhibition, taking place from May 18-25, 2026, features the works and engagement of hundreds of communities, artists, and drawing enthusiasts from various regions in Indonesia. This event serves as an important momentum in strengthening the position of drawing as part of cultural practice, art education, and community creative movements.
The exhibition opening is scheduled to be inaugurated by the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. (Hon) Dr. Fadli Zon, M.Sc. In addition to the exhibition opening, this event also marks the ratification of Indonesia Drawing Month as part of the National Calendar. The presence of this national-scale agenda confirms the role of ISI Yogyakarta as an art higher education institution that actively serves as a meeting space, a knowledge production space, and a center for the development of the national art and culture ecosystem.
The exhibition “The Revival of Images – Drawing the Revival” is part of the long journey of the Indonesia Raya Menggambar (Great Indonesia Drawing) movement, which has been gathering inter-regional communities since 2022. This movement has grown into a shared platform to preserve the culture of drawing, expand creative networks, and build collective awareness that drawing is not just an artistic activity, but also a means of education, expression, documentation, and the formation of national cultural identity.
In this exhibition, communities from nine regions of Indonesia Raya Menggambar participated, including the Sumatera/SwarnaDwipa Menggambar Zone, Kalimantan/Borneo Menggambar Zone, Sulawesi/Celebes Menggambar Zone, Indo-Timur/Indo-Timur Menggambar Peninsula Zone, Bajabodetabek/Jakarta Raya Menggambar Zone, West Java/Parahyangan Menggambar Zone, Central Java/Madyapada Menggambar Zone, D.I. Yogyakarta/Ngayogya Menggambar Zone, and East Java/Rek-Arek Menggambar Zone.
The cross-regional community involvement demonstrates the breadth of the drawing art network in Indonesia. This exhibition not only presents individual works but also represents the collective energy of art communities that have been active in various regions, ranging from art spaces, studios, drawing communities, artist groups, to creative community networks.
A number of invited artists also contributed to strengthening this exhibition, including works and important names in the development of Indonesian fine art such as Dullah, D. Joesoef, Fadjar Sidik, Nashar, Ki Hadjar Dewantara, Srihadi S., Widayat, Abdullah Ibnu, Agus Koechink, Arahmaiani, Dwi Susanto, I Nyoman Rediasa, I Putu Sutawijaya, Kaji Habeb, Much Sofwan Zarkasi, Salamun Kaulam, Toni Masdiono, Ugo Untoro, and a number of other artists.
This exhibition is curated by Dr. Syamsul Barry, S.Sn., M.Hum.; Dr. Hajar Pamadhi, MA. Hons.; Dr. Moh. Rusnoto Susanto, M.Sn., MCE.; Ilham Khoiri, S.Ag., M.Sn.; Dio Pamola Chandra, S.Pd., M.Sn.; and Mayek Prayitno, S.Sn. The presence of these curators strengthens the academic and artistic dimensions of the exhibition, while also demonstrating that drawing possesses a broad scope for study, both as a creative practice, a medium of expression, and as part of Indonesian visual culture.
In addition to the exhibition, the opening event was also enlivened by special performances from Metyem, Ambaran Ansambel, Sahata Project, Hendrik Pangkale & Friends, Bullpart, Madame Whimpsy x Seonggok Dub, and Rastakrina. This series of events made the exhibition opening a cross-expressive art event that brought together visual arts, music, community, and the public in a single cultural space.
For ISI Yogyakarta, the organization of this national exhibition is part of the institution's commitment to providing an academic and artistic space that is open to the development of Indonesian art. R.J. Katamsi Gallery, as one of the art presentation spaces within ISI Yogyakarta, once again plays an important role as a meeting place for ideas, works, communities, and the public.
Through this exhibition, ISI Yogyakarta reaffirms its position as an art higher education institution that not only plays a role in formal education but also in strengthening the national art ecosystem. This event is expected to broaden public appreciation for drawing, encourage the regeneration of artists, and strengthen inter-regional cultural networks in Indonesia.
The exhibition “The Rise of Images – Drawing the Resurrection: Greater Indonesia Draws” is open to the public and can be visited from May 18–25, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Western Indonesian Time, at the R.J. Katamsi Gallery of ISI Yogyakarta.
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