The Faculty of Creative Design and Arts (FDSK) of Universitas Mercu Buana Jakarta presents URBAN STORMING: HARMONY 12 with the theme “RUST of IMAGINATION”, an art exhibition that brings together academics, artists, designers, practitioners, alumni, and artists from various countries.

The exhibition takes place from 29 August–14 September 2026 at the Atrium of Universitas Mercu Buana, Meruya Selatan, West Jakarta. The exhibition was opened by the Rector of Universitas Mercu Buana, Prof. Dr. Andi Adriyansyah, M.Eng., together with exhibition chair Wilsa Pratiwi, and was attended by the academic community, exhibition participants, and the general public.

Photo: doc. Universitas Mercu Buana

URBAN STORMING presents a variety of artistic approaches that address issues of materials, the environment, culture, technology, history, and human experience. This diversity of media creates a space for dialogue between art, design, academia, and society.

The exhibition involves dozens of artists from the Universitas Mercu Buana community as well as various regions in Indonesia, including Yogyakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Makassar, Padang, Papua, Sidoarjo, Solo, Semarang, and Jakarta.

Not only Indonesian artists, URBAN STORMING also features the participation of international artists from China, England, Belgium, South Korea, Ukraine, Austria, Hong Kong, the United States, and Poland. They bring a variety of media, ranging from digital illustration, animation, photography, posters, and paintings to digital painting.

Photo: doc. Universitas Mercu Buana

One of the works featured in the exhibition is “IRON MUSE” by Ananta Hari Noorsasetya. The work explores industrial materials and locomotive imagery, with elements of metal, rust, mechanical construction, wheels, and traces of use.

According to Ananta, materials that have lost their original function can be transformed into works of art through a creative process, upcycling, and the idea of sustainability.

Meanwhile, Polish artist Jadwiga Możdżer presents “Fashion Maria Callas”, which uses fashion as a medium to build character and visual expression.

“This diversity shows that art can be a language that transcends geographical boundaries. Artists do not have to share the same medium, style, or cultural background to create a dialogue. It is precisely through these differences that new possibilities emerge for interpreting a theme,” said Ananta.

Photo: doc. Universitas Mercu Buana

The exhibition series is also complemented by Special Performing by HARMONY and Artis Talk, featuring Wilsa Pratiwi, Mira Zulia, Ananta Hari Noorsasetya, Jadwiga Możdżer, Carroll CW Tsang from Hong Kong, and Noah DeMeis from the United States. The discussion was moderated by Vania Aqmarani.

Through URBAN STORMING: HARMONY 12, FDSK of Universitas Mercu Buana demonstrates the role of higher education institutions as spaces for the exchange of artistic ideas, both nationally and internationally. The exhibition is open to the general public until 14 September 2026. (Edi Triyono)