Glossary

A glossary of global art terms, alongside jargon and phrases coined in Southeast Asia. These definitions cite examples of artists, exhibitions, techniques, and more, in which the phrases have been applied.

  • Jiwa

    Jiwa is a Bahasa (Indonesian) word that translates to English as 'soul'. Jiwa can be taken to mean a basic human impulse, togetherness, society, nature, or anything intangible and spiritual. Source: www.biennialfoundation.org. AWDB highlighted artist: Melati Suryodarmo, who was the artistic director of the 2017 Jakarta Biennale. She put forward the concept 'jiwa' to discuss wide-ranging issues and inquiries into contemporary arts and culture.