Maritime Museum Hosts Jakarta-San Francisco Photography Exhibition Ahead of City's 500th Anniversary

The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, through the DKI Jakarta Culture Office, held the opening of a collaborative photography exhibition titled ‘Jakarta: A Mirror of a Thousand Reflections’ at the Maritime Museum on Saturday, 18 July 2026.

The exhibition, involving photographers from Jakarta and San Francisco, presents a range of perspectives on Jakarta’s society, culture and urban life through the photographic lens. It will run from 17 to 29 July 2026 at the Maritime Museum and continue at the Fine Art and Ceramic Museum from 1 to 13 August 2026.

The Head of the Management Unit of the Jakarta Maritime Museums, Mis’ari, said the exhibition is the result of a collaboration between Tarumanagara University and the University of San Francisco, supported by the DKI Jakarta Culture Office.

‘In this regard, we prepared the venues at the Maritime Museum and the Fine Art and Ceramic Museum,’ he said. ‘They have been conducting research since about a year ago, including site surveys. After a process of coordination and correspondence, we are finally able to hold the opening of the exhibition today.’

Mis’ari said the event is one manifestation of the Maritime Museum’s commitment to supporting Jakarta as a global city. That commitment is realised through collaboration with various parties, including international institutions and communities. ‘A global city museum must be open to opportunities for cooperation with various parties, including across borders. This exhibition is one concrete form of that spirit,’ he said.

He emphasised that the exhibition is part of a series of events welcoming the commemoration of five centuries of Jakarta. This cross-border collaboration is expected to continue and give rise to various new themed exhibitions in the future.

Mis’ari also expressed hope that the exhibition can offer the public a new perspective on Jakarta through the works of international photographers, and that cross-border collaboration between the DKI Jakarta Culture Office and various partners can continue through other themed exhibitions in the years ahead.

Meanwhile, Pedro Lange Churion, a photographer from San Francisco, said he felt honoured to exhibit his works at the Maritime Museum. According to him, the museum, with its long history, is the right place to display photographs capturing the face of Jakarta. ‘The Maritime Museum itself is a place with a long history and is one of the important institutions in Jakarta. So, I feel very honoured,’ he said.

Pedro said 40 of his photographic works are on display in the exhibition. He noted that his works displayed alongside the photography of students present two different perspectives: the viewpoint of local society and that of a foreigner captivated by Jakarta.

‘On the other hand, my works sit alongside the perspectives of the students as young, developing photographers. They have a great interest in voicing various issues relevant to Jakarta’s complex yet always fascinating urban reality through the art of photography,’ he said.

He expressed hope that the exhibition can help Jakarta’s residents see the beauty of their city through the eyes of others, rather than being preoccupied with day-to-day problems. ‘The perspective I bring is an outsider’s perspective. I worked on it very carefully and with great feeling. In fact, almost everything was processed manually by hand. I did it that way as a form of my respect for the extraordinary reality displayed before my eyes.’