Introduction and images Jia CURATED 2025
Interview and editing Patrick Kasingsing
Design takes root in ruins as Jia CURATED animates the abandoned halls of Bali’s infamous Taman Festival in Sanur. From August 14 to 18, 2025, over 150 brands will reimagine 10,000 square meters of wild pathways and painted, weathered structures in the event’s second year at its hauntingly beautiful venue.
Following last year’s success with over 6,000 visitors and more than 100 participating brands, this year introduces new programs and installations under the theme “Evolving Perspectives”, which explores how shifting viewpoints can shape creativity and promote inclusivity.
New at Jia CURATED for 2025 include Architecture in Scale, curated by Suzy Annetta of Design Anthology, showcasing models from Indonesian architectural firms; an expanded Art Trail with works by local artists in collaboration with Gaya Ceramics, Malka Metalworks, and Metta Setiandi; and the Garuda stage installation by Japanese duo Straft with the Banjar community. Meanwhile, Waste to Wonder repurposes discarded materials into benches and pedestals, led by Millimeter Manifesto and Andra Matin. The Balvenie joins the programme with Wang Sinawang, blending whisky pairing, performance, and design through Studio Lianggono.
Taiwan nabs the spotlight as this year’s featured nation for Jia CURATED, with a lineup of features curated by design educator Shikai Tseng. Notable exhibitors to watch out for include alvinT, Ong Cen Kuang, Jin Kuramoto (Japan), Pietro Franceschini (Italy), and Citizen of Nowhere (Thailand).
Fueled by the Indonesian value of Gotong Royong (communal effort), Jia CURATED continues to champion creative collaboration across disciplines and borders. Co-founder Budiman Ong shares that the goal is “to showcase the extension of the creative process beyond individual efforts” and build a deeper, more inclusive dialogue between Asian designers and the global creative community. We spoke with the designer-maker from Kisaran, Sumatra to talk about this year’s expanded edition, its driving ethos of collaboration, and Indonesia’s place in global design.
Interview with Budiman Ong
As Jia CURATED enters its 2025 edition, the program has evolved in structure and scope. What has remained constant throughout, and what would you consider non-negotiable as the event continues to grow?
Budiman Ong, Jia Curated co-founder: Jia CURATED grew organically out of our experience with Jia COLLECTIVE, a retail space in Canggu. Over two years, it evolved into a platform featuring over forty brands, reflecting the momentum behind Indonesia’s design and craft movement. We saw a clear demand for high-quality handmade products with meaningful stories, and Jia CURATED was born in response to this.
We continue to seek designers with a strong identity, producing original, handcrafted pieces, who remain connected to their roots. These are the sensibilities we look for.
We gather brands, designers, artisans, and manufacturers in a shared space, encouraging collaboration through common narratives. This spirit also carries into how we work with the pavilions. It reflects the essence of Indonesia, embodying Gotong Royong, the principle of collective effort and cooperation toward a common goal. That remains our strongest pillar.
Jia CURATED has grown rapidly over the past three years. As a team, we’ve embraced the challenge of pushing boundaries—taking risks, being bold, and nurturing a community with passion.
While craft, design, and culture are central to the event, our focus is on creating an immersive experience that invites deeper engagement. Beyond exhibitions and curated programs, we bring in performances, music, and food—spaces for people to relax and connect. It’s not just about showcasing creativity, but building an environment where visitors can engage with it entirely.
We continually challenge ourselves with our venue choices. The first two editions took place in a mini forest, while the third and fourth repurposed a decades-old abandoned theme park—a space rich in character and layered history—offering a distinctive, unforgettable backdrop.
Beyond visitor or exhibitor numbers, what do you see as the most meaningful metric of Jia CURATED’s success, one that’s helped sustain it across four editions?
Budiman Ong: Jia CURATED began with my two partners, Rudi (Winata) and Yang (Yang Hartono), born from our shared passion for craft, design, and culture. It has since grown into an event with a strong, beating heart.
Exhibitor feedback has become one of our most meaningful markers of success. A moment that stayed with me was during the final day of the 2024 edition, when one exhibitor described Jia CURATED as “a safe creative space, with a sense of camaraderie where all the exhibitors are equal, relaxed, and can truly enjoy the event.”
We encourage collaboration between manufacturers, creatives, makers, and consumer brands—groups that come together to experiment and present bespoke installations and experiences, pushing the boundaries of creativity and design. When this happens, and we see its ripple effect on people’s passion and inspiration, we feel we’ve achieved something truly special.
Return participation from brands, exhibitors, and visitors who’ve benefited from past editions is another signal of success. We also pay attention to the quality of new exhibitors we attract, both local and international.
Our ultimate goal is to foster a deeper, more inclusive dialogue between Asian designers and the international creative community and to firmly place Indonesia on the global design map.
While Jia CURATED showcases Indonesian ingenuity, it also offers a chance to challenge common misconceptions about the region’s design language and expression. How does the presence of international collaborators and visitors help de-exoticize or debunk these misconceptions?
Budiman Ong: Indonesia—and more broadly, Asia—is still often seen as the world’s value manufacturing hub. One of our biggest challenges is shifting this narrative and highlighting Indonesia’s creative force.
We aim to support the growth of Indonesia’s design sector by creating opportunities for cultural and business exchange, connecting local and international communities, and positioning the country as a true contender in global design.
Today, growing interest in Asian design is reflected in curations at Salone del Mobile and Homofaber, as well as the selection of artists for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prizes. It’s inspiring to witness this shift: while Asian designers have traditionally drawn from Western design movements—from Baroque to Modernism—recent years have brought a return to heritage and craft-driven expression.
This year’s theme, “Evolving Perspectives,” invites participants to shift their viewpoint, remain curious, and experiment. We want them to explore how changing perspectives can shape creativity and open new grounds for practice and dialogue. That’s very much our hope for Southeast Asia’s design sector.
Bali is a land steeped in rich history and distinct identity, but one that’s long been at the mercy of cultural commodification. As a design event championing rootedness and place, how does Jia CURATED navigate the tension between authenticity and modern spectacle, and how might it use this tension to the island’s advantage?
Budiman Ong: Bali is naturally a place where Eastern and Western cultures converge, forming an environment where creativity thrives. This fusion lays a strong foundation for ideas to take root and flourish, and it continues to attract international creatives.
Indonesia’s role as a manufacturing hub also reinforces our geographic relevance within the global design landscape.
Bali has become home to residents from all over the world—a thriving ground for creative exchange. Local and international designers continue to inspire one another, forming the backbone of a collaborative design movement.
Indonesia’s design sector holds immense potential, especially in its ability to weave together the country’s natural materials, rich cultural heritage, and high-quality manufacturing into a more cohesive ecosystem. •
To learn more, visit jiacurated.com or contact hello@jiacurated.com / +62 812-4680-2532.
About the organizer: Jia CURATED is a long immersive weekend of craft, design, and culture founded by Budiman Ong, Rudi Winata, and Yang Yang Hartono. Launched in 2022 as Jia CURATED Kiosks – an intimate display for design and craft – it was rebranded as Jia CURATED in 2025, testament to its growth. Over the years, it has evolved into a large showcase of work from Indonesian and international exhibitors as well as unique installations from artists and creatives, alongside a programme of talks and events, attracting thousands of visitors. The priority of building and sustaining a healthy ecosystem of creative communities in Indonesia is what drives the founders to create a platform where instinctual energy and passion can be exchanged. Their approach is guided by three core pillars: craft, design, and culture.
