Editor’s Picks: Standout Works to Watch
Among the many thoughtful presentations at Art Jakarta Papers 2026, several works quietly command attention through both concept and craft. One of the fair’s most striking moments comes from Iwan Effendi’s Lembam, a towering paper-based puppet installation that merges theatrical storytelling with sculptural presence. Standing at approximately 2.5 metres, the work feels at once fragile and monumental, an emotional anchor that speaks to memory, slowness, and human vulnerability.
Equally compelling is the interactive presentation by Ruang MES 56, whose cyanotype-based workshop transforms paper into a living process rather than a static object, inviting visitors to engage directly with light, shadow, and time. On the collaborative front, Rudy Atjeh’s installation for myBCA Space stands out for its poetic restraint: a hand-cut paper tree emerging from a blue cube, evolving throughout the fair via participatory origami gestures, an elegant metaphor for growth and support.
Meanwhile, Naufal Abshar’s chess-inspired paper sculptures for Sucor AM Corner offer a visually playful yet intellectually sharp reflection on strategy, balance, and decision-making. Together, these works exemplify the spirit of Art Jakarta Papers where paper becomes not just a medium, but a language for experimentation, intimacy, and contemporary relevance.
Moving past the most talked-about presentations, the editor’s remaining ten selections at Art Jakarta Papers 2026 spotlight artworks that stand out for their quiet strength, exploratory spirit, and sensitive use of materials. These works favor nuance over spectacle, revealing their impact through thoughtful processes, refined gestures, and inventive approaches to paper. By emphasizing experimentation and material awareness, the editor’s picks invite closer engagement and slower viewing, underscoring how restraint and precision can be just as compelling as bold statements within the contemporary art landscape.
- Dede Cipon
- Putu Wirantawan
- Mella Jaarsma
- Andy Dewantoro
5. Agus Suwage, 6. Eddie Hara 7. Iwan Effendi 8. Ruth Marbun
