DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE ARTJOG FESTIVAL TO POSTPONED UNTIL 2021

FOLLOWING the enactment of the national emergency response period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, ARTJOG’s contemporary art festival decided to postpone and reschedule the 2020 edition with titled “Time (to) Wonder”, which is scheduled to take place on July 23-August 30 to next year.

According to the executive director of ARTJOG, Heri Pemad said, but given the crisis that has not yet improved, and the impact of a global pandemic that is still very difficult to predict over the next few months, we will shift the time of organizing ARTJOG Arts in Common MMXX time (to) wonder to 2021, as well as launching an ’emergency response edition’ which aims to respond to the situation that has hit Indonesia today.

“This is a decision that we must take with a heavy heart in difficult times. It is recognized that the ARTJOG Festival has become an art activity which is always eagerly awaited by the national and international art community every year,” he said.

He added, all the committees and curators had devoted their energy and thoughts to organize the festival this year. But the situation in various sectors (social, economic, political, cultural) has forced to delay the implementation plan.

Meanwhile Ditya Sariastuti, Deputy CEO of HPM said that next year ARTJOG will also try to maintain some of its flagship programs such as Special Presentations, Young Artists Awards, Daily Performance, LeksiKon, Meet the Artists, and others, in addition to seeking several new programs that are expected to surprise visitors later.

“Although as a party significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, ARTJOG fully supports the government’s policy to impose any rules or restrictions during the national emergency response period,” she said.

However, on the other hand, continued Ditya, ARTJOG also still believes that art artists are social groups who have never known the word surrender before a crisis. History has proven how great works of art can actually be born in the midst of various complex humanitarian crisis situations. [traveltext.id]