Jakarta. The fifth edition of "Manifesto," the biannual exhibition series highlighting the latest development in the Indonesian contemporary art scene, opened at the National Gallery in Central Jakarta on Wednesday (04/05) last week.

Titled "Arus" ("Stream"), the show features a survey of works by 34 leading contemporary artists — including Agus Suwage, Entang Wiharso, Heri Dono, Guntur Jong Merdeka, Mella Jaarsma and Tisna Sanjaya — as well as the West Java-based art collective Jatiwangi Art Factory.

These works range from painting and sculpture to video and mural installations, on display inside the gallery's main buildings and at the outdoor area.

According to a release issued by the gallery, the exhibition curators Asikin Hasan and Rizki A. Zaelani aim to explore the intersection between visual art and morality in the digital age.

"In this era of digital and virtual transparency, anything that is social is also personal and vice versa. [...] It presents us with a situation where the stream of conscientious expression is challenged by the stream of instinctual tendency. Art must be able to recognize and understand this situation," Rizki said in a statement.

Asikin added that the exhibited artists, who mostly grew up in 1980s and 1990s, share a similar view that art should express a moral and social message to the public.

"This belief is what we consider as the ongoing 'stream' from [when they grew up] until now. Each artist expresses their belief on the art's potential to spur personal, social and cultural change," he said.

"Manifesto" was initiated in 2008 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Awakening Day, which falls on May 20 every year.

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"Manifesto V: Arus" runs through May 30 at National Gallery of Indonesia, Jalan Medan Merdeka Timur No. 14, Central Jakarta. For more information, visit galeri-nasional.or.id.