PUNKASILA

Noise instruments, costumes, flags, performances on stage and in public spaces

In collaboration with: Fitri Setyaningsih, Slave Pianos, Erson Padapiran, and football supporter community ‘Geng Liyud’

This project explores how confusion and fear are managed as a cultural modality in society. For those in power, such as the state, markets, and paramilitary groups, creating and managing disorder is a valuable political modality. For oppressed societal groups, however, confusion is a way to combat the domination of the regimes in power. On the streets, societal groups can stand up to authoritarian power by making noise and planned presentations. The uproar of mechanic noise, choreographing driving routes, and various other performances are a common language in the battlefield of contesting power.

STAGE PERFORMANCES:

1 Nov 2015 / 19:00 / Jogja National Museum

15 Nov 2015 / 19:00 / Jogja National Museum

29 Nov 2015 / 19:00 / Jogja National Museum

5 Nov 2016 / 21.00 / Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta

PARADES:

8 Nov 2015 / 15:00 / JNM to Alun-Alun Kidul to JNM

22 Nov 2015 / 15:00 / University of Yogyakarta Sports Arena

6 Dec 2015 / 15:00 / Mandala Krida Football Stadium

EXHIBITION:

1 Nov - 10 Dec / Jogja National Museum

Curated by Wok the Rock

A collaboration with SLAVE PIANOS

The Lepidopters is a five-part science-fiction comic written by Mark von Schlegell (Semiotext(e)) and drawn and water-coloured by "Iwank" Erwan Hersi Susanto (Yellow Teeth Comics).

The comic nominally tells the story of an invasion of the Indonesian archipelago by alien moths, who plan to colonise Earth by engaging in inter-species reproduction.

But the text is also a cipher, correlating works by seminal American artist Robert Smithson with the work of SLAVE PIANOS and the multi-disciplinary Yogyakarta art collective Punkasila, and connecting these to ancient Javanese mystical systems, the musical structures that traditionally articulated these, and the derivations and misconstruals of colonial European & post-colonial American visitors.

Derived from the comic, The Lepidopters: A Science-Fiction Space-Opera is a multivalent work for choir, virtuoso keyboard player, just-intonation mystic-punk band, automated gamelan, flute, clarinet, electric guitar, organ, percussion, electronics and video.

PART I: MONA/FOMA #6. HOBART. 16 January 2014, 7.15pm & 9.15pm

PART II: YES NO KLUB. YOGYAKARTA. 21 & 22 March 2014, 8:00pm.

PART III: ASTRA / ARTS HOUSE. MELBOURNE. 12 April 2014, 3.00pm & 7.30pm; 13 April 2014, 5.00pm.

PART IV: DARWIN FESTIVAL. 20 August 2014, 7.00pm

PART V: WTF. BRISBANE. 26 February 2016, 9.00pm