Indonesian philanthropist-turned-archivist Dr. Melani Setiawan has unveiled a monumental three-volume photo archive chronicling nearly half a century of her involvement with Indonesian art and artists. Titled Indonesia Art Archive: Dr. Melani Setiawan 1977-2022 (Jakarta: Red & White Publishing, 2025), the book was launched at Pascasarjana ISI Yogyakarta before an audience of 180 artists, curators, and art world observers from across Asia, including Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The project marks a significant personal milestone for Setiawan, as well as for the Indonesian art world. It is the culmination of a 15-year effort to publish 5,000 images—selected from more than 100,000—along with excerpts of correspondence with artists. For 45 years, Setiawan documented her visits to studios and exhibitions of Indonesian artists, both locally and overseas. The photographs, often featuring artists alongside Setiawan in various art-related settings, also capture some of Indonesia’s most recognizable creatives in candid, everyday moments—painting in their studios, showcasing work at gallery openings, recuperating in hospital beds, or celebrating birthdays and births at home.

Yet these images are more than just casual snapshots of the art world’s inner circles. “One cannot view Setiawan’s archives . . . as a body of information arranged according to a formal system of codes,” writes Indonesian sculptor, art critic, and curator Jim Supangkat in his introductory essay for the book. “Such documentation is worthy of the designation ‘archive’ not only because it is a very large collection of documents, but also because it reveals the various developments and shifts in the Indonesian art world.” 

Setiawan’s contribution to the Indonesian art landscape extends far beyond these documents. Although she is neither a dealer, collector, nor critic, she has long been present in all of these spheres through her close involvement with artists, cultivating her own form of patronage behind the scenes. Her former residence in Jakarta, Rumah Jalan Arjuna, served as a library for her growing archive, an informal hub for art communities, and a silent witness to these many confluences. For more than two decades, she offered free lodging to artists exhibiting in the capital and arranged medical care through the hospital where she worked. This understated support earned her the trust of multiple generations, and positioned her as a vital bridge between Indonesia’s art community and the international art world. While many abroad regard her as an informal ambassador of Indonesian art, creatives at home simply call her Ibu (mother).

This short film, Where It All Began, documents Setiawan’s emotional farewell to her home in Jakarta. Filmed in 2015 and 2020 as a personal gift, the footage was screened at the book launch.

Now 80 years old, Setiawan continues to share her documentation via Instagram (@melanisetiawan), offering followers a glimpse into her ongoing journey with Indonesian artists.

Patricia Chen is a writer and filmmaker whose work focuses on individuals dedicated to the visual arts. She has written extensively about Southeast Asian and Asian contemporary art, contributing to leading international publications including The Art Newspaper, Financial Times, Flash Art, and ArtAsiaPacific. Her films have been screened internationally, including at the Centre Pompidou and Asia Now in Paris, the Authentication in Art Congress in The Hague, and at art institutions across Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Singapore.