In recent years, art exhibitions in Jakarta have not been limited to galleries. This effort to bring art closer to the masses has seen exhibitions held in all manner of public places, most prominently in shopping malls.
While this approach has certainly helped artists reach a wider audience, old-school art connoisseurs have cringed at what they see as a process of commercialization. They bemoan the fact that art in shopping malls tends to get lost among the outlets selling luxury goods from Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
Those who never warmed to the idea of art exhibitions in shopping malls can now let out a sigh of relief, as an even newer trend seems to have taken over Jakarta’s art scene: Rather than moving paintings, sculptures and installations out of the galleries and into the malls, the owners of art venues have decided to lure visitors by integrating cafes and restaurants into their exhibition spaces.
One of the first to explore the idea that art-lovers might enjoy a cup of coffee and a bite to eat after seeing an exhibition was Ark Gallery in Senopati, South Jakarta, which opened in 2007.
The gallery occupies the upper part of the building, and Bakoel Koffie, a popular coffee shop franchise with a vintage touch, the ground floor. Gallery and cafe are connected through wooden stairs, so it is easy to hop from one to the other. Since the space is relatively open, guests sitting in the cafe can also have a sneak peek at the artworks displayed in the gallery.
Putri Ayu, Ark’s manager, said the cafe had brought the gallery a lot of new exposure.
“Actually, more people know about Bakoel Koffie than about us,” she said. “Some of them may not even notice that there is actually a gallery upstairs, but the good thing is that we help each other out.”
“Whenever we have an exhibition opening, our guests go downstairs for a cup of coffee afterward, so it’s mutually beneficial,” Putri said.
The successful concept has also been implemented at the relatively new art space Dia.Lo.Gue, located in Kemang, South Jakarta.
This is more than just a coincidence, since Windi Salomo, one of the owners, was the manager at Ark gallery before teaming up with three of her friends to open her own place.
“The idea behind having a cafe inside a gallery is so that we can keep people in the space,” Windi explained. “And our mission here at Dia.Lo.Gue is to reach as many communities as possible.”
To entice people into staying a while longer, Dia.Lo.Gue features a large seating area, where guests can sit down and order food and drinks.
Large windows allow the place to be flooded with sunlight during the day, while water elements and outdoor spaces bring the vibe in sync with nature. There is also a wooden counter, featuring a quote from Pablo Picasso in big white letters: “Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.”
“The good thing about having a big space is that there is a lot of room for activities other than art exhibitions,” Windi said. “The layout can always be rearranged.”
Even though the cafe is already open for business, it has not yet been officially launched, and Windi said that many of the visitors stopped by after hearing about it through word-of-mouth.
In addition to the cafe, Dia.Lo.Gue also organizes art bazaars on a regular basis and features a small shop in front. The shop features a fair selection of locally made goods such as stationery, books, vintage posters and jewelry.
“From the outside, the first thing you see is the shop,” Windi said. “It helps to attract more people. And once they step inside, they are surprised by how big the place actually is, because it doesn’t show when you are standing in front of it.”
More often than not, those passersby decide to stay for a quick meal or a cup of coffee and then, of course, take a look at the artwork. The cafe’s menu is dominated by Western favorites, but, as Windi said with a laugh, the menu also has a couple of Asian dishes that were added by popular demand.
While Dia.Lo.Gue adheres to a minimalist design, visitors to Linggar Seni, another art gallery in Kemang, find a more homely atmosphere.
Owned by the Linggar family, the gallery has been around for many years, but recently integrated a cafe-restaurant into its space that officially opened its doors three months ago.
Breakfast at Granny’s, as it is called, is yet another project that the women of the Linggar family decided to pursue together.
Mia Maria, who is also in charge of the art gallery, said that opening a cafe-restaurant was probably only a matter of a time because the whole family loves to cook.
“Every dish we serve in our cafe is a family favorite,” she said. “Because my mother lived upstairs at our home, my kids would often say, ‘Let’s go and have a meal at Granny’s.’ And that’s why we decided to give our cafe this unusual name.”
Despite what its name may suggest, Breakfast at Granny’s does not only serve up dishes for early birds — it also whips up Asian delicacies such as oxtail soup and sate ayam .
And it is not only the menu that radiates comfort and coziness. Ark Gallery who enjoy the sunlight can sit in the garden rather than inside.
By keeping everything simple and small, Mia, her sister and her mother have managed to create a space that will make their guests come back for more.
In fact, all the dining tables and chairs are from Mia’s personal collection, which makes visitors feel like they’re actually sitting in her living room rather than a public space.
“Some of the chairs here have nice stories behind them,” Mia explained. “One of them, for example, I saw lying in the gutter, literally. Every time I came to the gallery, I saw it, and it was such a beautiful chair. So one day I eventually stopped, picked it up and fixed it.”
Mia said that even though the art gallery was already well known, the cafe had helped to bring in even more visitors.
“It has become a meeting point for artists, writers and other creative minds,” she said, “but it also attracts people just walking past.”
“It’s a good way to reach more regular people,” Mia added. “Because many of them are reluctant to visit art galleries, unless they are collectors.”
In fact, Mia has always been interested in sharing art with everyday people, to smash the idea that art is only for the select few. To help make art more accessible, she has organized monthly exhibitions at Portico restaurant in the Senayan City shopping mall and continues her work with Breakfast at Granny’s.
“The cafe has been a great way in achieving that goal,” she said. “I see how some people who actually just came here for lunch suddenly become interested in the artwork, and that is really great.”
By luring more visitors into art galleries, more people can learn to appreciate art.
“It’s a good approach,” Mia said. “It is like a fresh breeze for the art industry.”
Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace
Jl. Kemang Selatan No. 99A
Kemang, South Jakarta
Tel: 021 7199671
Ark Gallery/Bakoel Koffie
Jl. Senopati Raya No. 92
Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta
Tel: 021 7254934
Breakfast at Granny’s/Linggar Seni
Jl. Kemang Timur No. 36
Kemang, South Jakarta
Tel: 021 71790008
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