History Then and Now:
.Who is Who? (1800s) 

Digital Print on Organic Cotton, and Paper Mache (Thesis drafts) Sculptures

97 x 92 x 9 cm (7 pcs), Variable Dimension

2022

 History Then and Now: Who is Who?  is a series of works that question the impact of materialism and technological advancement on embodied social hierarchies and outdated beliefs about identity. Like other postcolonial zones around the world, power struggles and the quality of human resources remain pressing issues in Indonesia. Since the 19th century, we have been consuming rapid technological changes, yet this instant way of living has resulted in endless distractions. We are not always aware of what we dedicate our lives to, and this way of living keeps us in a state of constant survival.

 

While formal education is seen as a requirement for securing a proper job or achieving higher social status, the making of history and the shaping of social structures are still too often perceived as the responsibility of former colonisers. In reality, many of today’s social conflicts stem from our own shallow understanding of where we came from and how we were formed into a cross-cultural society. Furthermore, the toxicities of our social hierarchy, which deeply rooted in feudalism, have preserved an inferiority complex that continues to affect how we negotiate with those we perceive as more powerful.

 

In the past, there was a visible line between traitors and victims, identified simply by their physical traits and places of origin. Today, however, our conditions reveal that we have failed to foster healthy negotiations even with those who share our own traits. Both roles, traitor and victim, have become increasingly blurred, yet the core of the problem remains the same: our persistent need to be validated externally and seen as more superior and capable than others, merely to survive as humans.

 

So, who is who? Aren’t we always alternating between these roles in the name of humanity’s survival?

​​

 Exhibitions: 

1.  "Indonesian Young Artists (IYA!):

     Redefining the Indonesian Aesthetic"

      14th April-7th May 2023

      Gajah Gallery, Singapore, Singapore

​

2.“18th Jogja Biennale KAWRUH: Tanah Lelaku” ​

     5th October - 20th November 2025

     Pendhapa Artspace, Yogyakarta, Indonesia