Governor of Lemhannas RI Opens Bentara Budaya Art Exhibition, ‘Ruang Tafakur’: Celebrating Islamic Spirituality in Visual Art

The Governor of Lemhannas RI, Dr. H. TB. Ace Hasan Syadzily, M.Si., officially opened an exhibition organized by Bentara Budaya titled the visual art exhibition “Ruang Tafakur” (Space for Contemplation): Celebrating Islamic Spirituality in Visual Art at Bentara Budaya Jakarta on Friday (2/27). The event was attended by Kompas Gramedia Corporate Communication Director Glory Oyong, Bentara Budaya and Communication Management General Manager Ilham Khoiri, and Bentara Budaya Manager Ika W. Burhan.

Indonesia is home to the world’s largest Muslim population, accounting for 87 percent of its 281 million people. Islamic values permeate daily life in various forms, including architecture, culinary traditions and fashion. However, the aesthetic dimension of Islamic art has increasingly been overshadowed by political discourse, fiqh, Ramadan rituals and theological differences. “Therefore, Bentara Budaya seeks to be part of efforts to bring artistic expression to the forefront,” Ilham Khoiri said in his remarks.

During Ramadan, Bentara Budaya aims to showcase visual artworks inspired by Islamic spirituality, some of which are developed by santri (students of Islamic boarding schools). Ilham Khoiri also hoped that the exhibition would present a serene, peaceful and beautiful image, in line with a hadith stating that God is beautiful and loves beauty.

Curator Hilmi Faiq emphasized that the exhibition was organized to provide a platform for artistic expressions with Islamic nuances that are rarely found. In religion, he noted, there are two elements: faith (credo) and ritual (rites), both of which are insignificant if not manifested in behavior. “The artistic expressions presented here are manifestations of those credos and rites,” he said.

In his opening remarks, Ace Hasan Syadzily expressed his appreciation for the exhibition. He said pluralism and diversity should be celebrated during Ramadan, with Islamic visual art given space at Bentara Budaya.

He also highlighted the relevance of national resilience within the cultural sphere, noting that it should be understood collectively. National resilience, he said, is not only about geopolitics and defense capabilities, but also relates to the impact of the technological era, including mental health. “When we place ourselves in a spiritual space, it means we are building strong mental resilience, as cultural resilience is one of the key elements of national resilience,” he added.

In closing, he reiterated his appreciation to Bentara Budaya for organizing a positive event at an appropriate moment, noting that Islamic art represents an expression of resilience and a means of illustrating devotion to the Divine, as well as contributing to cultural expression that can strengthen national culture.

The event was marked by the first brushstroke on canvas by The Governor of Lemhannas RI and Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) executive board chairman KH Yahya Cholil Staquf. (SF/CHP/MDF)