Venus Lau to Lead Jakarta’s Museum MACAN

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The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Museum MACAN), West Jakarta, announced on Monday the appointment of writer and curator Venus Lau as director.

Lau, previously based in Shanghai, replaces Aaron Seeto as of 1 February, under whom the museum developed its mission of becoming a leading force in the Indonesian art ecosystem.

Since 2017, MACAN’s objectives have included presenting stellar exhibitions and new artistic commissions, increasing public accessibility to art, and broadening visual literacy in wider Indonesia.

Lau is well-positioned to lead MACAN into its next chapter. She was previously Artistic Director at K11 Art Foundation in Hong Kong, and more recently, Art Strategic Director at Meta Media Group (formerly Modern Media Group) in Shanghai. The media conglomerate owns publications such as The Art Newspaper, Art Review, and Numéro Art China.

With a wealth of experience, including co-founding LEAP magazine, curating exhibitions at UCCA Beijing, and winning writing prizes such as the Chinese Contemporary Art Award, Lau’s appointment promises to lend a different perspective to the museum’s direction and drive.

‘I am honoured to take this next step with MACAN as their new Director, and aim to contribute to the enrichment of the artistic community and wider audiences in Indonesia through the power of contemporary art and public engagement,’ Lau said.

‘Together with this talented and dedicated team, I am confident that we will achieve new exhibition milestones and collaboratively shape meaningful chapters ahead at MACAN.’ —[O]