Indonesian contemporary artist Candrani Yulis ahead of her participation in the 18th Lyon Biennale of Contemporary Art. (Institut français d’Indonésie)
Indonesian contemporary artist Candrani Yulis will present Passage, a solo exhibition at the Institut français d’Indonésie (IFI) Yogyakarta from 14 to 24 July, ahead of her appearance at the 18th Lyon Biennale of Contemporary Art later this year. Organised by the Embassy of France in Indonesia, IFI and Ellipse Art Projects, the exhibition marks a significant milestone in the Yogyakarta-based artist’s growing international career.
Featuring installations, photography and video works, Passage traces the evolution of Yulis’ artistic practice since she began exhibiting in 2018. Drawing on personal narratives and Indonesia’s cultural landscape, the exhibition examines memory, identity, belief systems and women’s lived experiences. Visitors will also gain an early look at the research informing the new artwork she is producing for the Lyon Biennale, where it will be exhibited from September 19, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
The exhibition opens at IFI Yogyakarta on July 1 at 6 p.m. and will remain open to the public free of charge until July 14 as part of Jogja Art Week. Visitors are welcome from Monday to Saturday, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Her participation in the prestigious French event follows a residency at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris earlier this year, an experience that played a key role in shaping her latest body of work. The residency reflects the broader cultural cooperation established under the Borobudur Declaration, signed by Presidents Prabowo Subianto and Emmanuel Macron in 2025, which aims to expand artist exchanges, cross-disciplinary residencies and long-term cultural partnerships between France and Indonesia.
Her selection for the Lyon Biennale was made possible through the +E Programme, an initiative by Ellipse Art Projects that mentors, produces and promotes emerging women artists from Southeast Asia. Working closely with Indonesian curator and art historian Farah Wardani, she developed a newly commissioned artwork that will make its international premiere in Lyon.
Founded in 1991, the Lyon Biennale is regarded as one of Europe’s foremost contemporary art events, bringing together artists from around the world to explore pressing social and cultural issues through creative practice. Her participation reflects the growing international recognition of Indonesia’s contemporary art scene while reinforcing artistic and cultural ties between Indonesia and France.
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