Otto Djaya

Indonesia

1916 – 2002

Otto Djaya was one of the Indonesian painters in President Soekarno’s private collection. A bohemian and non-conformist artist, he developed a personal aesthetic that drew on Javanese spirit, myths, folklore, satire, and everyday life, blending natural beauty with sharp reflections on humanity.

During the Japanese occupation he trained as an officer in Pembela Tanah Air and later fought as a Major in Indonesia’s independence struggle. After independence he studied at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten and the University of Amsterdam, also traveling across Europe to deepen his artistic vision. Otto exhibited widely, including at the São Paulo Biennial and Exposition le Grand Prix de Peinture in Monaco, and held solo and group shows in Jakarta, Melbourne, and beyond.