Color of Jakarta Captures the City's Transformation Ahead of Its Fifth Century

The Jakarta Provincial Government successfully held the Color of Jakarta 2026 competition to celebrate the city's 499th anniversary, inviting the public to capture and showcase Jakarta's transformation as it approaches its fifth century through visual storytelling.

These categories reflect just how colorful Jakarta truly is

Jakarta Communication, Informatics and Statistics Agency Head Marulina Dewi said this year's competition featured two main categories: photography and videography.

Colors of Jakarta Reflects Jakarta's Identity

"These categories reflect just how colorful Jakarta truly is. The city is incredibly diverse and multicultural," she said at Balai Agung, Jakarta City Hall, on Tuesday (7/7).

According to Marulina, the competition attracted strong public interest, with 894 participants submitting 5,646 photographs across five categories: Humanistic Jakarta, Cultural Jakarta, Contemporary Jakarta, Jakarta Vista, and Radiant Jakarta.

Meanwhile, 149 participants submitted 172 videos across three categories: landscape, vertical, and AI-generated videos.

"The enthusiasm shows that more and more Jakartans are proud to be part of this city," she asserted.

Marulina noted that Color of Jakarta also serves as a creative platform for photography and videography enthusiasts. Participants' works will continue to be preserved and exhibited in public spaces across the city.

She added that some of the best works, particularly those with lasting value, will be compiled into a book as a permanent visual archive of Jakarta.

"We will also publish them in a book so the participants' works can be properly curated and preserved. Whether they won or not, we want to archive their contributions," she pointed.

In addition to the competition, the event also featured a photography exhibition and workshop. The exhibition displayed the finalists' best works, while the workshop gave participants an opportunity to learn from and exchange ideas with professional photographers.

Marulina said the photography and videography entries capture Jakarta's transformation into a global city through the eyes of its residents. She encouraged the public to take part in documenting the city's journey.

"Let our cameras be more than just tools for capturing moments. Let them become a way to introduce Jakarta to Indonesia and the world," she said.