Murakabi Movement

Tanah Air βeta is the title of Murakabi's presentation and manifesto in this exhibition. Tanah Air (homeland), for Murakabi, is not a frozen heritage, but a shared living space that must be developed and re-evaluated. The term 'βeta' also refers to generation and irony. 'βeta' - the second letter of the Greek alphabet - is the name for the generation born between 2025 and 2039, after the Alpha generation. The βeta generation will live in a world dominated by artificial intelligence technology, which must redefine their relationship with the earth, water and each other. But βeta also means an 'unfinished version': Indonesia after 1945 for Murakabi is an uncertain direction due to constantly changing policies. Tanah Air βeta is thus not a work of art full of imagery, but a metaphor for a space for living and learning together. Murakabi's artistic practice does not stop at the beauty of appearance, but the practice of studying and rebuilding the relationship between Indonesian people and their land (and) water.

One of Murakabi's ecological practices in this exhibition is the presence of element of trasah watu (a road paving technique from the past) construction. This is a 'technological' practice that is right for paving rural roads that allows water to continue to seep in and various plants, especially medicinal plants, to grow in between the gaps. The beauty of this trasah watu is certainly not from its appearance, but from its attitude of yielding (ngalah), namely the ability of humans to bow to the rhythm of nature. In a circular shape, trasah watu reminds us of the natural cycle that honours the preservation and sustainability of life. According to the record, this country has more than 74 thousand villages, and this environment is the closest to the 'newer era' in the future, when the progress of Tanah Air βeta is not only measured by progress in technology and standards in the industrial world.
Supported By:
Murakabi Movement was initiated by Indieguerillas collective and Singgih S. Kartono in 2019. Murakabi (Javanese) means 'sufficient'. This creative movement was initiated after their presentation at the ARTJOG 2019 festival which focused on the issue of food, clothing and shelter independence. The abundant natural and cultural resources in the village foster human creativity to realize independence and welfare through mutual cooperation ala the Murakabi Movement.