J+ Art Awards 2026 x Meiro Gallery presents 13 selected artists from 400+ submissions across 43 countries through “MIRAGE,” exploring reality and perception.
What do we actually consider reality? Is it something we see, remember, and feel—or is it something shaped by our experiences and the way we perceive the world?
J+ Art Awards 2026 explores this question through an exhibition themed “MIRAGE.” Through the works of the selected artists, reality takes on many forms—from identity, memory, the body, environment, and technology to social and humanitarian conditions that are closely woven into everyday life. Each artist brings their own experiences and perspectives, allowing the same reality to appear entirely different when seen from another point of view.
This year, more than 400 submissions from 43 countries entered the J+ Art Awards selection process. From hundreds of works, 13 artists were selected to bring their practices and interpretations to Jakarta. The diversity is reflected not only in the artists’ backgrounds, but also in their choice of mediums, ranging from painting, installation, sculpture, and ceramics to explorations of various materials.
Among the works on display, Adril Wak Yong presents Diary, while Bayu Putra Pratama brings Gatra Imateri I. I Ketut Mahendra presents VOID, while Indra Widiyanto showcases Sea to Summit #2. Meanwhile, The Lost Coquette Girl by Jesca Delaren offers its own reading of experience and representation.
Questions of identity and personal experience come through in Split Identity by Maryo Pratama, while Mivetboi presents Retak Yang Tumbuh (Growing Cracks). Monika Emania Kristienda brings Heartscavated, while Naura Gizzella presents My Mother’s Daughter.
Rahardi Handining’s two works, Between the Grips of Structure and Stringing Oneself to Create Movement, explore the relationship between structure, the body, and movement. Meanwhile, Rania Ramdhani (RAN) presents Sincere, Rivan brings Monsters With(in) Us, and Theano Giannezi presents Karema, Wale, Ruga, and Maruga.
The works show that “MIRAGE” does not take the form of a single, uniform idea. For one artist, reality may be found in the relationship with the self; for another, it emerges through the body, environment, memory, or something formed between humans and technology. This difference makes the exhibition feel like a collection of 13 perspectives existing side by side, without necessarily arriving at the same answer.
From Competition to Collaboration
J+ Art Awards was first initiated in 2024 by Mona Liem, Founder of Connected Art Platform (CAP). From the beginning, the program was established as a platform to discover and support talent across art, culture, and innovation, connecting artists with art spaces, institutions, collectors, and a wider public.
The process, therefore, does not end with the selection. Selected works are given the opportunity to travel, moving from one space to another and encountering different audiences along the way.
The collaboration with Meiro Gallery is a continuation of this journey. Following its presentation at ARTOTEL Gelora Senayan, the 13 selected artists now have the opportunity to bring their works to Meiro Gallery and expand the conversations surrounding them.
For Connected Art Platform, encounters like this are part of an effort to build closer connections between artists and different parts of the art ecosystem. It is not only about how a work is exhibited, but also about how it can spark conversations, bring new people together, and give artists opportunities to expand their networks.
Bringing Artists and the Public Together
The opening of J+ Art Awards 2026 x Meiro Gallery took place on 15 August 2026. The event was attended by artists, colleagues, art enthusiasts, collectors, and media, and was opened by Kenny Yustana, Founder of Meiro Gallery, together with Dhanny Sanjaya, Representative of Connected Art Platform.
Seven of the participating artists were also present at the opening: Bayu Putra Pratama, Indra Widiyanto, Maryo Pratama, Mivetboi, Naura Gizzella, Rahardi Handining, and Rania Ramdhani (RAN). Their presence gave visitors the opportunity not only to experience the works firsthand, but also to learn more about the ideas and processes behind them.
In the end, there may be no single answer to what we consider reality. One person’s memories can differ from another’s, and the same experience can leave entirely different impressions. Even something that appears undeniably real can shift when viewed from another perspective.
Through “MIRAGE,” J+ Art Awards 2026 creates space for these differences. Thirteen artists bring their own stories and ways of seeing, coming together in one space to suggest that reality may not always be something that can be clearly defined. J+ Art Awards 2026 x Meiro Gallery runs until 19 September 2026 and is open to the public.
