The local narrative that develops in Raden Kukuh Hermadi's work is closely related to the conditions and background of his hometown, Gunungkidul. This barren area, which mostly consists of limestone mountains, is the largest district in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY). This area contains a number of basins - containing karst - with prehistoric relics from the Stone Age. Majority of the area comprises a plateau, 200-700 meters above sea level. Since the colonial era, deforestation has occurred repeatedly in this region with the conversion of forestry into agricultural and plantation land.

The work Selepas Tegalan is a visual narrative about the Gunungkidul environment after various logging activities occurring in the past. However, since the 1980s, the area has begun planting hardwood seedlings such as teak, mahogany, rosewood and cashew. Kukuh witnessed the gradual return of greenery in nature, with livestock such as goats and cows being herded again, grazing in the fields. He applied the cross-stitch technique (also known as kruissteek) on sheets of burlap to depict this new landscape. The technique produces bright optical and graphic images in his work through parallel crossings of colourful embroidered threads. The burlap material brings our perception to the difficulty of life during the Japanese colonial era. The habit of making cross stitch embroidery as a form of decoration in the house marks the presence of western influences. The layering of eras and the accumulation of vehicles in this work also carry a message about the harmony of the relationship between humans and their surrounding nature.