Jompet Kuswidananto

Jompet Kuswidananto started as a musician, producing records and performances while studying Communications Science at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta. His interest in sociology and political science was influenced by his studies and later, his training in Indonesian music and wayang or the traditional shadow theatre. Learning visual art from the local community in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, his artistic practice finds expression in installations, videos, sound art and performances, as well as in his participation in Teater Garasi, a contemporary theatre group based in Yogyakarta. Conceptually, his works explore his homeland’s history and the complexities of contemporary life in a globalised world, with a focus on issues of politics, colonialism, power and mass mobilisation in the context of post-reformation Indonesia. Kuswidananto has exhibited in multiple international exhibitions, including the Yokohama Triennale Japan in 2008, Lyon Biennale, France in 2009, Moscow Biennale for Young Art and Taipei Biennale in 2012 and the Bangkok Art Biennale in 2022. In 2014, Kuswidananto was recognised for his installation work at the Prudential Eye Awards.