Jompet Kuswidananto

Jompet Kuswidananto (b.1976, Yogyakarta) embarked on his artistic journey as a musician, exploring diverse genres and fields such as alternative rock, industrial techno, theatre music production, and scoring for short movies. Between 1997 and 1999, he crafted numerous indie music recordings, both as a solo artist and collaboratively within groups. Since 1998, his artistic evolution has been intertwined with the influential collective, Teater Garasi.

After completing his studies at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University in 1999 Jompet autonomously delved into contemporary art, spurred by the transformative waves of the early Reformasi era.
Currently, Jompet employs various mediums, including installation, video, sound, and music, to investigate themes surrounding Indonesia’s alternative history—from colonial ghosts to nostalgic echoes of dictatorship. His extensive exhibition history includes solo showcases at Tropenmuseum Amsterdam (2014), Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Sydney (2016), and MAC’s Grand Hornu, Belgium. He has also participated in group exhibitions such as “Sun Shower” at Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2017), Sharjah Biennale (2019), and Bangkok Art Biennale (2022). His installation works was acknowledged with the Prudential – Eye Award in Singapore in 2014.

(Profile picture and bio excerpt provided by Jompet Kuswidananto’s studio.)

Writings:

Jompet Kuswidananto, Artforum, Vol. 62, No. 3, NOVEMBER 2023.