Indonesian Noise

Indonesian Noise is a talk in the Majlis at Ibraaz. Hypatia Vourloumis' presentation brings Taring Padi's polyphonic practice and their renderings of the 'people' (rakyat) into dialogue with the Indonesian national language (Bahasa Indonesia). Drawing on years-long research, she traces how this constructed language emerged as an anticolonial political project and was standardised after independence in 1949, then examines aesthetic, poetic and linguistic breakdowns after the 1965-66 genocide and during Suharto's New Order, and considers the current Indonesian noise scene, with poetry reading, listening and a discussion of language, hegemony and cultural resistance. The talk will be moderated by curator Odessa Warren and followed by audience Q&A.