Yogyakarta Art Galleries

(Yogyakarta, Central Java, Indonesia)

Art plays an important part in the lives of those in Yogyakarta, and although there aren't many galleries as such, there are certainly examples of their artisan skill and craftsmanship everywhere. 'Batik' painting is a lengthy tradition in Yogyakarta and is where fabric is first painted with melted wax (malam), before being dipped in dye.

Once the fabric is dry, the wax is then removed (by using a solvent or hot iron), revealing some truly intricate patterns, since the dye does not penetrate the areas of wax. The majority of the galleries selling mass-produced batiks in Yogyakarta are based around the Taman Sari.

Affandi Museum

Address: Jalan Solo, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, ID
One of the most famous international Indonesian artists, Affandi (1907 to 1990) was born in the city of Cirebon, West Java, and has long had strong connections with Yogyakarta. Affandi created many of his most acclaimed expressionist paintings in his unique tree-house studio, some 6 km / 4 miles to the east of the actual city centre. Today, the Affandi Museum stands within these grounds and in his former residence, which he actually designed himself and boasts an unusual roof, shaped rather like a banana leaf. This cultural attraction very much celebrates his life, exhibiting more than 200 of his paintings, as well as some additional art works created by non-other than his own daughter. Interestingly, Affandi is actually buried here, in the back garden.
Open hours: Tuesday to Friday - 09:00 to 16:00, Saturday - 09:00 to 13:00
Admission: charge


Other art galleries of note within Yogyakarta include:

Bentara Budaya
Address: Jalan Suroto 2, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, ID
Tel: +62 0274 560 404

Cemeti Art House
Address: Jalan DI Panjaitan 41, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, ID
Tel: +62 0274 371 105

French / Indonesian Cultural Center (LIP)
Address: Jalan Sagan 3, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, ID
Tel: +62 0274 566 520

Jogja Gallery
Address: Jalan Pekapalan 7, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, ID
Tel: +62 0274 419 999

Kedai Kebun
Address: Jalan Tirtodipuran 3, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, ID
Tel: +62 0274 376 114