Street Caricature Artist in Malioboro Complains of No Customers Today

The bustle of tourists in the Malioboro area of Yogyakarta City does not always translate into prosperity for street artists. One such artist is Setiawan, a sidewalk caricature painter on Jalan Malioboro, originally from Sewon, Bantul.

While waiting for customers on the side of Jalan Malioboro, Setiawan recounted how he began his caricature painting service. He started his sidewalk caricature business in 2009.

“It started back in 2009, on the sidewalk. I’ve been here in Malioboro ever since, until now,” Setiawan told detikJogja in the Malioboro area on Sunday (22/3/2026).

Over more than a decade as a sidewalk artist, Setiawan noted significant changes in public demand for caricature painting services. According to him, the decline began to be felt since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Since then, the number of customers has continued to drop.

“In the past, it was decent, but now we’re losing out to apps. Back then, I could get 1-3 customers a day. Now, in a week, maybe just one, or sometimes none at all,” he revealed.

For pricing, Setiawan charges Rp80,000 for one face and Rp100,000 for two faces in one frame. Though simple, he believes there is added value in the handmade artwork.

“The process is unique, manual with pencil. It takes about 30 minutes to an hour. Nowadays, the most common customers are couples, as it’s a special moment in Malioboro,” he explained.

During this Eid holiday period, he said he had customers on the actual holiday yesterday. Today, however, Setiawan is still waiting for customers to arrive.

“Yesterday I got two, but today none yet. Usually, I start at 9 a.m. and go home around 3-4 p.m.,” he said.

Despite the current lack of interest, Setiawan remains steadfast. For him, being a caricature painter is not just a hobby but his livelihood.

“Well, I’ve been doing this since 2009. I really enjoy painting, and one way it helps is by allowing people to capture moments in a unique way,” he concluded.