Mella Jaarsma was born in 1960, Emmeloord, The Netherlands. Jaarsma works as both an artist and curator and has actively participated in exhibitions and performances since the mid 1980s.

After her studies at the Fine Art Academy of Minerva, Groningen, The Netherlands, Jaarsma continued her art studies in Indonesia at the IKJ – Art Institute of Jakarta in 1984 and the ISI – Indonesia Institute of the Arts in 1985-86. She has been living and working in Yogyakarta, Indonesia since this time.

In 1988, together with her partner Nindityo Adipurnomo she founded the Cemeti Gallery in Yogyakarta , which since 1999 has changed into Cemeti Art House, organizing exhibitions, projects and residencies.

Since 1995 she also has been active as a board member at the Cemeti Art Foundation – Yogyakarta , currently changed into the Indonesia Visual Art Archive -IVAA. She gives workshops and lectures in Indonesia as well as abroad; at Duta Wacana University – Yogyakarta, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum – Fukuoka, Griffith University – Gold Coast, The Substation – Singapore, Lasallesia College of the Arts – Singapore and the Rietveld Academy – Amsterdam.