1 | ROH

ROH is pleased to open its new gallery space in Jakarta with an inaugural exhibition, 1. The space has been in the works alongside a realization that the past few years, amid the pandemic, ROH has been working as a gallery that is nomadic in nature - both physically by a lack of a permanent space, and philosophically by thinking beyond the confines of more conventional presentations of art in its more traditional relationships to time and space.

ROH’s new home in Jalan Surabaya, Menteng, Central Jakarta will host an inaugural exhibition featuring 16 artists that have played a part in the gallery’s journey. Opening to public on 5 April 2022, the exhibition will display new works by Aditya Novali, Arin Dwihartanto Sunaryo, Bagus Pandega, Davy Linggar, Faisal Habibi, Kei Imazu, Luqi Lukman, Maruto, Mei Homma, Mella Jaarsma, Nadira Julia, Nadya Jiwa, Syagini Ratna Wulan, Syaiful Aulia Garibaldi, Tromarama, and Uji “Hahan” Handoko.

The exhibition and the new space is the fruit of a learning process, perhaps most akin to the alpha and beta phases of building softwares. The three-year process involves the team at ROH experimenting with ways that resonate with the artists they represent, shaping their aesthetic processes, and thinking through ways to present their work in many constraints, whether in abandoned building sites, in natural environments, or even within their own domestic settings, among others.

Each project and its particular spirit of experimentation has felt like a certain “zero point something”, building up towards this “one”. There has been a feeling that perhaps each exhibition has been building upon each other in a reciprocating manner, relating between one to the other in a certain feeling of symbiosis. It is as if in reaching this first exhibition that ROH is simultaneously closing a certain phase, while also setting a baseline for new possibilities in the future.

Jun Tirtadji, Founder, on ROH’s new chapter: “We are tremendously grateful for the generosity and support of all of our peers, friends and family who have been with us up to this point in ways big and small, and looking forward to serving the art community in Indonesia and beyond for the years to come.”

ROH’s new space at Jalan Surabaya began its life as a heritage house from the 1950s and in collaboration with principal architect Barry Beagen has been meticulously reconstituted into a space for contemporary art. While parts of the space have been built anew from the ground up, other parts of the old house have carefully been preserved. There are two main gallery spaces, Gallery Apple, which is a white cube space with more controlled lighting, and Gallery Orange, which is a more expansive double height space with a skylight and walls that keep the embedded markings of the past upon them. In between the two distinct gallery spaces is a part of the old house, where a pre- existing spiral staircase, as well as floors filled with mid-century tiles have been preserved.

Born 1978, Surakarta, Indonesia
Lives and works in Surakarta, Indonesia

Aditya Novali received his Bachelor of Engineering in Architecture from Universitas Katolik Parahyangan, Bandung, Indonesia, in 2002; and an IM Master of Conceptual Design from the Design Academy Eindhoven, The Netherlands, in 2008. Novali works with a variety of materials, often first conceiving an idea and then finding the right medium to transcribe his vision. His background in architecture influences his sensitivity to structure, space, and knowledge of construction – key elements of his approach and aesthetic. Addressing themes such as boundaries, identities, materialism, and urban life, Novali’s work interacts with the viewer and transforms with each viewing.

Novali’s work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and institutions both locally and internationally. Some of his previous exhibitions include recent solo presentations New Obsolescence: ADITYAVOVALI at ROH, Jakarta, Indonesia (2023); WHY at Tumurun Museum, Solo, Indonesia (2022); ME:DI:UM with ROH Projects at Liste Art Fair, Basel, Switzerland (2019); Significant Other at ShanghArt Gallery, Singapore (2019); Caprice with ROH Projects at Art Basel Hong Kong: Discoveries, Hong Kong (2018); and ACRYLIC at ROH Projects, Jakarta, Indonesia (2016); and notable group presentations Dhaka Art Summit: বন্যা/Bonna, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka, Bangladesh (2023); On Muzharul Islam: Surfacing Intention at Dhaka Art Summit: Seismic Movements, Dhaka, Bangladesh (2020); The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, QAGOMA, Brisbane, Australia (2018); DIASPORA: Exit, Exile, Exodus of Southeast Asia, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Chiang Mai, Thailand (2018); The 15th Asia Art Festival: Multiple Spectacle Art from Asia, Ningbo Art Museum, Ningbo, China (2017); Imaginary Synonym, Tokyo Wonder Site, Japan (2016); Aku Diponegoro, National Gallery of Indonesia, Indonesia (2015); Shout! Indonesian Contemporary Art, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea (MACRO), Italy (2014); Little Water, Dojima River Biennale, Osaka, Japan (2013); South East Asia (SEA)+ Triennale, National Gallery of Indonesia, Indonesia (2013); Of Human Scale and Beyond: Experience and Transcendence, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong (2012). Novali was nominated for Best Emerging Artist Using Installation at the 2016 Prudential Eye Awards in Singapore; Finalist in the 2010 Sovereign Asian Art Prize, and awarded Best Artwork in the Bandung Contemporary Art Awards (BaCAA) in the same year.