Breaking Boundaries, Nurturing Art

Amidst the fast-paced traffic of Surabaya, East Java, Balai Pemuda now offers something almost contrary to the city’s character. People come to pause, to observe, to walk slowly, and to allow a work of art to provoke questions.

This atmosphere is brought to life through ARTSUBS 2026, a contemporary fine arts exhibition entering its third year in Surabaya. Carrying the theme “Border, Threshold, and Beyond”, the exhibition will run from 19 September to 8 November 2026, at the Balai Pemuda complex or Alun-alun Surabaya.

This year’s ARTSUBS presents approximately 500 works from 113 artists from various regions across Indonesia, including seven collaborative works by artist groups. The displayed works consist of both curated artists and those selected through an open call.

While large numbers are important, they should not be the sole measure of an exhibition’s success. A more crucial question is what happens after these hundreds of works encounter the Surabaya public. Contemporary art does not end when a piece is hung on a gallery wall; its meaning is born when eyes behold it, minds reflect upon it, and the community finds a connection between the work and their own lives.

ARTSUBS has had an interesting journey. The inaugural event in 2024 at Pos Bloc Surabaya featured around 300 works from 154 artists. In its second edition in 2025 at Balai Pemuda, the number grew to 347 works from 135 artists. Entering its third edition in 2026, ARTSUBS returns to Balai Pemuda with 113 artists and more than 500 works.

This comparison shows that the scale of the exhibition is not solely determined by the number of artists, but also by the breadth of practices, mediums, and works presented. Such changes indicate that ARTSUBS is finding its form. The exhibition is not merely a gathering place for artists but strives to be a meeting point for works, ideas, curators, communities, collectors, creative economy players, and a public that may previously have felt disconnected from fine arts.

It is here that the choice of Surabaya becomes significant. Organisers acknowledge that Surabaya has not traditionally been viewed as an automatic art centre in the same vein as Jakarta or Yogyakarta. However, this challenge is seen as a reason to build a stronger art ecosystem in East Java.

Curators position ARTSUBS as a node that brings together various networks and art practices that have previously operated in smaller spaces. This idea aligns with the reality that Surabaya possesses a large economic scale and high social mobility. The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) recorded Surabaya’s economy growing by 5.87 per cent in 2025, with a GRDP at current prices reaching Rp830.54 trillion. The city’s economic structure remains primarily supported by trade and the manufacturing industry.

However, a large city requires more than just centres for trade, offices, industry, and transport; it also requires spaces to process human experiences. Amidst the density of information flows, art can serve as both a pause and a space for reflection.

Therefore, the ARTSUBS curators’ vision of art as a medium for contemplation and intellectual entertainment is highly relevant. Contemporary art does not have to be treated as something exclusive simply because its forms are not always easily understood. Indeed, the indirect nature of its visual language can serve as a gateway to new conversations.