Unfired clay in Water Pond
mixed media
site-specific at various dimension
commissioned for Jakarta Biennale

2015

The anonymous city phenomenon has impacted Indonesian metropolitan areas, where buildings lack identity and meaning and are instead boxy, repetitive, massive, and monotonous. People are forced to do indoor activities because the outdoor spaces lack humane design. An art installation aims to critique this phenomenon by presenting modern prototypes of superblocks that will decay over time. The prototypes are placed in a site-specific pond with black water, which allows viewers to walk through and experience different perspectives related to the delusional wish of modern society for utopia. The black water is also a symbol of the danger of the diminishing level of sea-water in Jakarta. The art installation seeks to challenge the importance of human-centered design and the consequences of prioritizing functional buildings over community and identity. It also represents the impermanence of modern utopian ideals and the need to consider sustainability in urban planning.