JAKARTA – What if a local gym becomes an active art gallery? Today, people see beautiful art outside traditional white galleries. Art now enters daily life inside vibrant public spaces like city parks, shopping malls, and office complexes. Therefore, Connected Art Platform and Cinta Senyum Indonesia launched the innovative ART RAGA festival. This unique event runs from June 4 to 7, 2026, at Pilates Re Bar in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta. Consequently, the festival turns a contemporary lifestyle space into an extraordinary art experience. It invites ordinary visitors to discover deep reflection and community energy together.
Mona Liem, the founder of Connected Art Platform, explains the main concept behind this project. She chose the core theme Body, Mind, Soul specifically for this active fitness environment. Furthermore, she states that traditional art fairs often carry high price tags and create an intimidating atmosphere for regular people.
“Regular people often view art fairs as expensive places. In contrast, this festival helps people view great art while they practice pilates. This clever concept creates a fresh space and new opportunities for local artists.” Mona Liem, Founder of Connected Art Platform
In contrast, this specific festival allows individuals to enjoy beautiful creations while they train their bodies. This clever setup creates a fresh market and gives new opportunities to local contemporary artists. Visitors do not just buy art pieces here. Instead, they learn the basic value of art through an intimate and relaxed display. This collaboration marks the first serious mix of art and sport inside a commercial pilates studio.
More than 20 local artists and 40 unique artworks fill the entire two-story building. Visitors encounter different creative surprises on every level of the facility. For example, on the first floor, guests see the iconic, colorful work of Balinese artist Yessiow. She created special fabric materials specifically for ART RAGA to match the gym equipment smoothly. Meanwhile, the second floor displays various mini artworks. These objects include fine works by Alodia Yap, Dwi Putro, Budi Ubrux, Dhanny Sanjaya, and Roger Ng Wei Lun.
In the next room, NotanLab offers an immersive digital space. This unique space guides visitors into a peaceful state of deep meditation through visual patterns. Additionally, guests interact with Wangsit AI during the exhibition. This interactive program offers a unique tarot experience using modern technology and human intuition.
Finally, the Seduh Keluh section provides a warm, cozy room for personal storytelling. Three visionary curators—Mona Liem, Wilbert Deil, and Dhanny Sanjaya—directed this entire artistic project to bring communities closer together.
Photo doc. Tia Agnes Astuti of detik.com
