An Interview with Andhi Sadha
1. Could you briefly describe the nature of your business (including JICAF) and your role within it? Why and how did you get into the art business field?
JICAF (Jakarta Illustration & Creative Arts Fair) is our company’s flagship annual event showcasing both emerging (through open call) and well-known illustrators (through invitation) to art enthusiasts, taste makers, and general creative class in Jakarta.
Our company dubbed enMasse was created to bring Indonesian (and the region’s) illustrators to be recognized and to be active participants in the development of global pop culture.
My role at the organization is as the strategic lead in developing the company’s product and service offering including cross industry collaboration, pop up events, and new IP development.
I have always fascinated with creativity ever since I was young, I supposed growing up in Bali and having part of your family business include selling handcrafted art pieces subconsciously played a factor for me to pay attention toward art, but it was my interaction with the creative team during my advertising agency days, I was a media planner, that really shaped how art and creativity, when done right, can move people.
Later, when I worked with 88Rising and their roster of talented musicians and team, I really saw how underrepresented Indonesia was within the world of pop culture and how a country with 284 million people only has Rich Brian, and NIKI as idols to the youth of this country.
It has become sort of a mission, if I were given the opportunity to bring more talents from Indonesia, I’d do it in a whim. So, I met colleagues, now partners at the company, who shared the same vision and drive.
Illustration is the field, and we haven’t stopped since.
2. From your experience, what are the biggest challenges currently facing professionals in the art/creative industry in Indonesia
Support system: we have some of the most talented artists in the world, most struggle to get their works recognized and appreciated on their own. While it is okay when the artists first starting, this lack of support system, from management, financing, legal and marketing, will slow them down during scaling up their business.
3. Do you think business literacy is important in the arts and creative industries, especially in Indonesia? Why? How do these skills change the way people participate in Indonesia’s creative sector?
a. Business literacy should be included as basic knowledge that an artist should be equipped with in their career, especially in Indonesia. Because otherwise people will try to take advantage of the artist’s work and services.
b. Having business acumen as an artist, or at the very least, understanding that an artist’s can’t do all by themselves (aka forming a team), allow an artist to have a sense of direction and the ability to have their work will be able to support the artist’s life and future.
4. What advice would you give to Art Entrepreneurship students about what they should prioritize learning, so that in the future they can make a significant contribution to Indonesia’s creative industry? (For example: networking, collaborative/partnership structures, fundraising models, audience development, etc.)
a. If you are an artist, experiment and put your art out there as much as you can, and connect with the audience who supported you from the get-go and expand. Reach out to your idols, find the opportunity for mentorship, an internship opportunity, pa ortfolio review, and maybe collaboration opportunities. Get connected with fellow artists beyond your art and always open for collaboration opportunity i.e., gig poster for your musician’s friend (if you are an illustrator), book cover for your book writer’s friend, etc
b. If you are an entrepreneur, study your (art) niche, get to know the community, the artists, and the audience, lend a hand, or offer to manage the communities and the artist’s work. Be present, actively involved within the art and business community
c. Be the connector, once you understand both worlds (a & b), be of a service and connect both worlds for a magical collaboration
5. How does being located in a city that’s a global creative hub (like LA or NYC) impact things like internships, networking, and exposure to industry while still in school?
a. Being in the center of culture, i.e., LA or NYC, allows you to be exposed to the highest level of artistry (and to survive the ‘real’ fierce competition)
b. Big cities enable you to learn multiple art scenes at once and to find which one will be benefited with your skill set and passion.
c. Big cities always have something happening; they give students more opportunities to be in a real-life business situation, and this is where one thing leads to another thing, aka an internship will open doors for networking opportunities that will open doors for exposure and more. All while the artists are still in school
An Interview with Hendra Lesmono
Could you briefly describe your work today and your role within it? How did you first enter the art and creative industry?
I started as a graphic designer, then moved to become an art director, and climbed the career ladder until I became Creative Chairman. Currently, I'm working in the corporate communications department at Djarum, one of the largest cigarette companies in Indonesia. I studied visual communication design, and through my years of experience working in the advertising industry, they valued and used my unique point of view on strategically communicating their company messages. My professional journey began in the dynamic field of graphic design, where I honed my foundational skills in visual communication and aesthetics. This initial experience quickly propelled me into the role of an Art Director, a position that demanded a more strategic and holistic approach to creative campaigns. Over the years, I ascended the career ladder, embracing increasing levels of responsibility and creative leadership until I achieved the role of Creative Chairman. This executive position involved shaping the overall creative vision and culture across the organization. Currently, I leverage this extensive creative and strategic experience within the corporate communications department at Djarum, one of Indonesia's largest and most prominent cigarette manufacturing companies. My transition into this corporate environment was driven by the recognition of the value my deep advertising and brand-building background could bring to their internal and external communications strategies. My academic background, rooted in visual communication design, provided the theoretical framework, but it was my decades of practical experience in the high-stakes advertising industry that truly refined my perspective. Djarum highly values and utilizes my unique point of view on strategically communicating their company messages, recognizing my ability to distill complex corporate narratives into compelling, visually-driven communications that resonate with various stakeholders.
2. How did working as an art director in an advertising agency shape your understanding of creativity as both an artistic and commercial practice?
Advertising is often called a paid art form, a truth qualified by its strategic purpose and audience. Pure art is generally self-serving, valued for the individual creator's unrestrained expression. Conversely, advertising is inherently audience-centric and goal-oriented. Its artistry, though valued, must be subordinate to the commercial objective: to persuade and sell. This commercial imperative shapes all creative choices, making advertising "art with a strategic purpose"—a blend of creative execution and market science aimed at a commercial result.
3. From your experience, what are the biggest challenges currently facing professionals working in Indonesia’s art and creative industries?
AI is fundamentally diminishing the value of art and creativity. The ease with which AI generates high-quality output creates the illusion that such creation is neither scarce nor highly specialized, posing a significant threat to creative industries. This leads to a twofold problem. First, the public expects all creative work to be quick and cheap, eroding the market value of human labor. Second, novice users gain the illusion of personal creative competence from inputting a prompt, outsourcing the actual artistic skill to the algorithm. Consequently, the currency of creativity has shifted from traditional mastery to "prompt engineering,"—the skill of instructing the AI. This technical literacy is rapidly commoditized as effective prompts are widely shared online, lowering the barrier to entry and fostering aesthetic homogenization. As creation is automated, the value moves from the human creator to the prompt controller, a skill increasingly devalued by open-source sharing.
4. How important do you think business literacy is for artists and creative professionals in Indonesia today?
I've observed a growing awareness of Intellectual Property (IP) among artists in Indonesia. Increasingly, creators are focusing on developing unique, original works. Some artists, using their sharp intuition, have successfully magnified their brand, often leading to collaboration opportunities with established companies. However, a concern remains: many artists seem to undervalue their IP, giving away rights or licensing their work too easily or for too little compensation. To address this, there is a clear need for a deeper understanding of how to transform creative work into a successful business venture.
5. What advice would you give to Art Director students about what they should prioritize learning in school so they can make a meaningful contribution to Indonesia’s creative industry?
Creativity is vital for progress, but future practitioners must master strategic commercialization, not just idea generation. The industry needs to develop sophisticated business acumen, understanding market dynamics, IP rights, and diverse monetization models to overcome the "starving artist" stereotype. A critical shift involves creatives developing and owning proprietary products (digital assets, software, art prints, courses, etc.) rather than relying solely on commissioned work. This ownership provides:
a. Financial Stability: A scalable revenue base for sustenance and security.
b. Creative Freedom: Independence to pursue authentic, innovative passion projects without immediate commercial pressure. The future of the creative industry demands a dual focus: relentless creativity paired with robust financial literacy and an entrepreneurial drive to create viable, long-term commercial assets.
6. How does being based in a global creative hub—such as Los Angeles or New York—affect access to internships, professional networks, and real-world industry experience while still in school?
t is vital to actively seek environments that foster personal and professional growth, especially creativity. Unfortunately, not everyone can live or study in inherently creative hubs like Los Angeles or New York City. These metropolitan areas are true epicenters of creative energy, offering endless inspiration and stimuli. They provide constant access to accomplished artists, visionary designers, and world-class cultural institutions like museums, galleries, and high-caliber performances. This continuous exposure to excellence significantly boosts one's creative output and aesthetic sensibility. However, the magnetic draw for talent also creates fierce competition. This pressure, rather than being a deterrent, acts as a powerful catalyst, compelling individuals to relentlessly strive for excellence, continuous refinement, and innovation. This challenging landscape ultimately benefits us, pushing for consistently high-quality work and preventing mediocrity. The combination of unparalleled inspiration access and a high-stakes competitive drive makes these locations uniquely fertile ground for creative development.
7. Could you also share what motivated your transition from a creative/art director role to a business and marketing-focused role?
My career is rooted in luck and faith, which align with my strong interest in the marketing outcomes of my creative work. I am deeply captivated by sales metrics and audience response. This fascination is driven by a desire to understand the logic behind market reactions. By analyzing data, consumer behavior, and trends, I gain critical, actionable insights. This analytical approach to understanding "the why" behind the numbers has been crucial to my professional evolution and is the key factor enabling my current role. It's a continuous cycle of creation, measurement, analysis, and adaptation.