8 August 2025, 11:40am - 11:50am
Nasi campur is an ancestral cuisine that characterises ASEAN and has evolved in many ways. I create within this culture of mixed rice—unlike the Western style of dining with separate courses like appetisers and desserts. My films, such as Samsara (a cine-concert: silent film with live music), embody this "mixed rice" culture—a blend of various forms and modes of presentation. They merge the classical with the contemporary, combining wayang orang, silent film, and visual art.
This fusion also extends to the people involved: from Balinese classical musicians to Kasymin, a techno music composer who performs in international clubs; from Balinese classical and contemporary dancers to dancers from the Australian Ballet. My work weaves together cultural heritage, mysticism, and stories of industrialisation.
Throughout my career, I have brought together three core cultural elements that underpin civilisation: heritage culture, popular culture, and alternative culture. These three strands form living archives that evolve within the ever-developing ecosystem of new media. I call this approach technoculture—a synthesis of humanity (culture) and the continuous advancement of technology.
Together, these elements create layers of the past, present, and future, expressed through cross-disciplinary and cross-border artistic forms. In this context, my 25 films serve as a record of Indonesia's historical journey through the Industrial Revolutions 1.0 to 4.0. Samsara, for instance, reflects the 1.0 era, marked by mysticism amidst the emergence of global industry.
My films are thus transformations of heritage, popular, and alternative culture archives—reinterpreted through the lens of ever-evolving technology.
GARIN NUGROHO SH, HC. Born on June 6, 1961 Yogyakarta, graduated from the Faculty of Law UI and the Faculty of Film and TV IKJ and earned a Doctorate Honoris Causa ISI SOLO. Noted as a pioneer of the post-1990 film generation. Achieved various national and international awards. His work extends from Film, Theater, Dance to & Art Installations that have entered international galleries and stages. Art installations in House der Kunst Munich to Louis Vuitton Paris, stages from Muziekgebouw Netherlands to Hammer Hall Melbourne and films from Cannes, Berlin to Venice. He also writes cultural and political columns in leading media outlets. He has received the highest cultural awards from various countries, the highest French cultural award from the French and Italian governments and the President of Indonesia, the Life Achievement Award from the Bangkok and Singapore International Film Festival. He has published 7 books on film and cultural communication, founded 3 film festivals and various workshops and taught S2 and S3 at ISI Yogyakarta and Solo as well as being a jury member for various international film festivals.