Stories

THE LEGACY is a series of heritage artwork from the New East Indies. The term 'East Indies' stems from the geographical fact of Indonesia, which was once known by the West to be the endless source of nature's best. The attribute 'New' stands for a fresh perspective about the generation who believe in themselves. This new generation will inherit this archipelago. At the heart of freedom, they will cultivate this earth, celebrate individuality, and love their peers without any prejudice.

Allow me to share a story about a buoy that saved me from drowning. At times when this soul was on the verge of drowning, I deliberately immersed myself in colorful emotions and surreal thinking, such that I could maintain the courage to envision what was broken within my world and transform every one of my mistakes into my strength. Of course, I have no intention of dragging you into a rational discussion.

{ Lelono } [ meaning: ‘Journey’ ] is the third essay of THE NEW EAST INDIES* trilogy, presented as a pilgrimage journal on self-introspection. This paper is about an artist’s escapade in between various polarities of life. Receptiveness in learning new viewpoints and bravery in evaluating oneself set a crucial course in discovering an authentic identity in the globalisation era.

The second letter from The New East Indies studies the essence of touch in human connection. The cultural shifts during this robotic era have caused an intricate connectivity and some communication conflicts, leaving touch and empathy as an unfamiliar and rare language. I recounted my personal experiences in discovering the harmony between heterogeneity in her surroundings.

The digital era has opened the door to a world without limits, where each individual is able to access a seemingly endless assortment of information rapidly from this secondary cyber-universe. Concurrently, advances in transportation technology have made it possible to travel thousands of miles in a single day. The two sectors have greatly accelerated the progress of our civilisation. Yet one thing remains certain: there are discernible tradeoffs occurring alongside our technological advances.

Bio Fantasy is a tribute to Chairil Anwar and the center point of Tulisan’s Fall & Winter 2015-2016 collection. The project features 75 illustrated editions by Melissa Sunjaya, depicting a cornucopia of imaginary microscopic cells. Hand-lettered excerpts of Chairil Anwar’s poetry are secretly embedded in these works of art and can only be viewed with a red lm lens.

The game of life, much like a game of cards, is a wild mix of luck and destiny. As fate is a fickle companion, wins and losses are dealt out in arcane ways. A strong hand of cards can be squandered by an inexperienced player, while a shrewd player can use mediocre cards to his advantage. Indeed, a simple game of cards reveals the complex nature of our existence where wit and determination are great equalizers to convention and chance.

On the night when Bawang Putih’s mother passed away, her father hugged her and whispered in her ear that when people die they fly up to the heavens and become stars. These words soothed her and she recalled them when years later she faced the unexpected death of her beloved father. The night after his burial, as her stepmother and stepsister, Bawang Merah, went home; she lay down in the field by her house and awaited the arrival of a new star. Sure enough, a vibrant star appeared when droplets of morning dew formed on blades of grass.

Once upon a fallen star, there lived a princess with a rebellious heart by the name of Mendut. In the palace, she was always referred to by her royal title, Roro Mendut, but among her friends, she was simply, Petite Mendut. Rumors of her ethereal beauty and siren-like voice traveled to many places, but those who knew her best-loved the girl for her vibrant spirit and virtue.

Long ago, deep in the forest of Java there lived an enchanted admiral by the name of Kasarung. Kasarung was half-man, half-ape but he was no beast. His goddess mother had cast a spell on him which made him lose his handsome features. It was an act they had agreed upon such that Kasarung could find a lasting and true love. Having embraced a facade that would deter disingenuous suitors he then fled from heaven and built himself a sanctuary in the jungle to set about finding a soulmate.

Once upon a time, there were two mice that lived an adventurous life in the heart of Jakarta. Hiro and his wife, Sur, were a hard-working and courageous duo. Even though they were tiny creatures, their hearts were set on rescuing abandoned children who lived on the streets. Sometimes they slept under the rooftops of big houses, where they could steal some food for these children. Other times they spent the night in a clothing factory, where Sur would sew little scarves from leftover materials. 

A simple story about being happy and giving unconditional love to every living being.