Hand-made lanterns and fortune cookies – get creative with Jayanto Tan’s workshop at MoB
To welcome the independence and freedom that the year of the horse brings, Museum of Brisbane is presenting an immersive workshop in partnership with Loupe Creative Space and renowned artist Jayanto Tan. As part of the upcoming BrisAsia Festival, MoB invites Brisbane to get creative through a hands-on paper-lantern workshop led by the Indonesian-born, Sydney-based artist whose practice blends Eastern and Western mythologies with the reality of current events.
Jayanto Tan was born and raised in Indonesia to a Sumatran Christian mother and a Chinese Taoist father, and now lives and works on Gadigal Country (Sydney). His work explores feelings of loss, displacement and hope, as well as traversing his mixed spirituality and interest in meditation.
As a free, one-day-only event on Saturday February 14, the workshop invites creatives and beginners alike to craft their own lantern under Jayanto’s guidance, while learning about his artistic practice of exploring Otherness through ceramics, food, installations, performances and community workshops like this one. Once participants have exercised their own creative flair and completed their lanterns, they can take it home or alternatively, add it to a collaborative display within the museum to be enjoyed by visitors.
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In honour of Jayanto’s celebration of food and connection in his practice, each participant will also receive a fortune cookie, prepared as part of the workshop, to sneak a glimpse into what their new year holds. This is a free drop-in workshop with no bookings required, where people are encouraged to come along and be part of a shared celebration of creativity.
Presented by Museum of Brisbane in partnership with Loupe Creative Space. This program is delivered as part of Brisbane City Council’s BrisAsia Festival 2026, produced by Sounds Across Oceans.