Minister of Culture Brings the Imagination of Nusantara to the Venice Biennale 2026

JAKARTA - Indonesia is back on the world's most prestigious art stage through the Indonesian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale. This year, the government is not just showcasing art works, but bringing a big narrative about the history, identity, and imagination of Nusantara to the global conversation space.

The Indonesian Pavilion carries the theme "Printing the Unprinted" and was officially opened at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Venice. The exhibition runs from May 9 to November 22, 2026.

Minister of Culture Fadli Zon emphasized that Indonesia's presence at the Venice Biennale was an important step in strengthening Indonesian cultural diplomacy at the international level. This momentum is also the first participation under the Ministry of Culture which stands alone.

"Indonesia is not only present to introduce culture to the world, but also to participate in shaping global conversations through art," said Fadli Zon at the opening, Friday, May 8.

He assessed that Indonesia has a large cultural capital. More than 17 thousand islands, hundreds of ethnic groups, and hundreds of regional languages are said to be the foundation for the birth of a dynamic cultural ecosystem.

According to Fadli, the theme "Printing the Unprinted" was chosen to showcase voices that have rarely been recorded in mainstream history. Through graphic art, Indonesian artists try to dismantle the old way of looking at world history, which has been dominated by Western perspectives.

This year's Indonesian Pavilion was curated by Aminudin TH Siregar and featured seven artists across generations, namely Agus Suwage, Syahrizal Pahlevi, Nurdian Ichsan, R.E. Hartanto, Theresia Agustina Sitompul, Mariam Sofrina, and Rusyan Yasin.

Their work departs from a speculative narrative of a great 15th-century voyage inspired by an imaginary manuscript from Sumatra. From that point, the artists construct a new interpretation of the relationship between Asia and Europe, including a critique of global history that is often built through claims of discovery and arrival.

Interestingly, the creative process is not entirely done in Indonesia. A number of works are developed directly in Venice through residencies, dialogues, and artistic collaborations in exhibition spaces.

The Indonesian Pavilion also presents residency programs, workshops, art discussions, and symposiums. The government also involves young talents through the National Talent Management Program for Cultural Arts with Negeri Elok.

The art therapy approach was also used in the collaboration. Art is positioned not only as an aesthetic expression, but a space to build empathy, care for memories, and strengthen personal and collective resilience.

"Culture is a source of identity and imagination. The creative economy turns it into a global influence," said Fadli Zon.