Jakarta, May 19, 2026 – Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, emphasized the importance of cross-subsector collaboration in strengthening a more inclusive, innovative, and globally competitive creative economy ecosystem. The statement was delivered during the Press Conference of Maxdecal Inkverse Fest 2026 at Agora Mall, Jakarta, Tuesday (19/5).
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, attended the Press Conference of Maxdecal Inkverse Fest 2026 at Agora Mall, Jakarta, Tuesday (19/5/2026).
The meeting also highlighted the synergy between body art, automotive culture, photography, and storytelling as a platform for the creation of creative works rooted in identity and intellectual property (IP).
“Creative economy subsectors should not exist within their own bubbles. We want cross-sector communities to sit together, engage in discussions, and build collaborations that generate new ideas and innovations, such as Inkverse Festival,” said Irene.
Maxdecal Inkverse Fest 2026 is a tattoo and body art festival initiated by Maxdecal in collaboration with Indonesia Subculture. The event serves as a meeting space for body art artists, automotive communities, international motorcycle brands, photographers, and storytellers within an international-class platform.
Documentation by Bureau for Communication of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
Carrying the theme “Where Ink Becomes Identity,” the festival, which will take place on May 30–31, 2026 at The Brickhall, Fatmawati City Center, South Jakarta, will present a fusion of visual art, urban culture, and creative expression within a collaborative stage.
“This event is interesting because body art is not only presented as a personal work, but also uses automotive culture as an artistic medium. There are collaborations with communities and international motorcycle brands such as Harley-Davidson, photographers documenting the artworks, and hopefully storytellers who can elevate the meaning behind every design presented,” said Irene Umar.
Irene also emphasized that body art is closely connected to the cultural roots of the archipelago, where symbols and visual patterns have long been used as part of community identity. She noted that this potential could be developed into intellectual property rooted in Indonesian cultural narratives.
Documentation by Bureau for Communication of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
“Our ancestors have long used body art to express identity and community stories through patterns with deep meanings, such as the Mentawai tattoo culture. Storytelling like this can be developed into films, books, and other creative works so that Indonesia becomes increasingly recognized as a hub for brands and creativity,” said Irene.
Project Director of Maxdecal, Nofian Hendra, stated that the vehicle sticker printing industry is now evolving beyond a modification trend into a medium of creative expression that represents the owner’s identity. He added that the concept of “Inkverse” was born from the idea that ink serves as the common thread connecting various forms of visual art, ranging from tattoos and graphic design to vehicle decals.
“Everything starts with ink. Designs are printed using ink, tattoos use ink, and motorcycle decals also use ink. Through ink, artworks can travel anywhere and reach various creative segments. That is why we want to present a different kind of tattoo festival by combining many creative elements into one event,” said Nofian.
Documentation by Bureau for Communication of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
During the occasion, the Ministry of Creative Economy and Maxdecal also discussed potential collaboration in presenting educational activations regarding the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) registration for creative economy players, particularly within the visual communication design and body art subsectors. This initiative is expected to increase awareness among creative industry players in protecting their works and strengthening the economic added value based on intellectual property.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
