National Gallery of Indonesia Cancels Yos Suprapto Solo Show Over Paintings Critical of Joko Widodo

The National Gallery of Indonesia abruptly cancelled painter Yos Suprapto's solo exhibition after curator Suwarno Wisetrotomo demanded the removal of multiple works deemed critical of former president Joko Widodo. Titled 'Kebangkitan: Tanah Untuk Kedaulatan Pangan' (Revival: Land for Food Sovereignty), the show was scheduled to run until January 19. Initially, Wisetrotomo requested two paintings be taken down—one depicting the army confronting a crowd while Widodo sits on a throne. Suprapto agreed to cover those pieces with black cloth but keep them displayed. However, the curator then insisted on censoring three additional works, calling them 'vulgar' and overly political in local press reports. Suprapto refused further alterations, leading to the exhibition's termination. The artist warned this incident signals a threat to artistic freedom and social critique in Indonesia. Widodo, a centre-left leader, served as president for a decade until October 2024, overseeing 43% cumulative GDP growth and exiting with a 70% approval rating. Suprapto emphasized that artists must prevent art from becoming subservient to authoritarianism.