Exhibition Announcement: NGE-HENG! Refleksi Mental

Exhibition Announcement: NGE-HENG! Refleksi Mental

Out of Nowhere Vol. 2 at Semesta’s Gallery, Jakarta
9–31 August 2025

I'm excited to be participating in the group exhibition “NGE-HENG! Refleksi Mental,” curated by Irene Agrivina, held at Semesta’s Gallery in Jakarta this August. This show is part of the Out of Nowhere Vol. 2 series and brings together artists responding to themes of mental pause, absurdity, and emotional reflection—a timely exploration of disconnection and resilience.

My Work in the Exhibition

Title: Revolusi Lembut (Soft Revolution)

Artist: Amir Zainorin

Materials: Bamboo poles, rotating motors, fabric bandages, ink

Year: 2025

Dimensions: Variable (site-responsive)

Artwork Statement:
Three bamboo poles wrapped in hand-inked bandages slowly rotate from the ceiling. Phrases like “BBBBlack is ordinary” and “TRUE clr = INSIDE” emerge and disappear between folds. The motion blurs the text, turning language into texture. Soft Revolution reflects on identity, erasure, and healing—where only parts are visible, and softness holds a quiet strength.

Exhibition Theme: NGE-HENG! Refleksi Mental

“Nge-heng,” in Indonesian slang, refers to a frozen state—like a mental crash or system halt. This exhibition presents artistic reflections on psychological glitches, emotional stagnation, and poetic reboots. How do we confront stasis? What surfaces during breakdown?

Opening Ceremony

Saturday, 9 August 2025
3:00 PM (WIB)
Special Guest: Cosmas D. Gozali

Venue

Semesta’s Gallery
Jl. Taman Sari No. 77 Kav. 9, RT3/RW3, Lebak Bulus
Cilandak District, South Jakarta, Indonesia

Curator

Irene Agrivina

Selected Participating Artists Include:

• Amir Zainorin (Copenhagen)
• Alfiah Rahdini (Yogyakarta)
• Bob Marijinal (Jakarta)
• Dave Syauta (Bandung)
• Erwin Erlangga x Paulina (Bandung)
• Ismet ZE (Bandung)
• Nayera Subaih (Egypt)
• Secret of the Sun (Bekasi)
• Patub Porx (Yogyakarta)
• ...and many more (see full list in the flyer).

Contact: Gigz Chandra (+62 896 7660 2898)

Media Partners: TEMPO, Whiteboard Journal, Pop Hari Ini, and others

If you're in Jakarta this August, come by and experience this wide-ranging reflection on contemporary states of mind. I’ll also be sharing documentation after the opening.

Thanks for reading,
— Amir

Layering Gang kelinci, Gudskul, Jakarta Indonesia

 

Title: Layering Gang Kelinci @Gudskul, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Medium: silk screen and heat press
Material: found plastic Year: 2023

Layering Gang Kelinci: Symbiosis of Culture and Plastic Consciousness

"Layering Gang Kelinci: Symbiosis of Culture and Plastic Consciousness" transcends typical artistic boundaries, offering an immersive and transformative experience at Gudskul. This exhibition intricately merges environmental consciousness with cultural exploration, enriching the ongoing discourse on the interplay between art, culture, and environmental responsibility. It targets art enthusiasts, environmental activists, the local community, and cultural scholars.

During a memorable motorcycle excursion with Adi, a Gudskul guard, I was invited into his village residence near Gudskul. As we journeyed through the village, we embarked on a collection of discarded plastics. These plastics, once considered waste, became the foundation of my art. Through innovative techniques like silk screening mixed with heat pressing, these salvaged plastics metamorphosed into captivating artworks showcased at the Gudskul exhibition space.

The exhibition features interactive installations and sensory experiences, engaging the audience in a dialogue about environmental sustainability and cultural narratives. Visitors can touch and feel the textures of the transformed plastics, participate in interactive displays, and immerse themselves in the sensory elements of the exhibition.

"Layering Gang Kelinci" aligns harmoniously with Gudskul's ethos—a collaborative learning hub and contemporary art ecosystem spearheaded by Jakarta's art collectives: ruangrupa, Serrum, and Grafis Huru Hara (GHH). Since the early 2000s, these collectives have championed collective and collaborative practices in contemporary art. United by values like equity, sharing, solidarity, friendship, and unity, these collectives established a shared space in 2015 to advance the vibrancy of art and culture, igniting creative initiatives within the wider community.

In tandem with this cooperative outlook, an inventive platform emerged through festival organization and seminar curations, notably showcased in the immersive event series dubbed Stateless Mind by Jambatan collective, which I co-founded in Copenhagen. This initiative resonates with my personal artistic practice while mirroring Gudskul’s collaborative ethos. Tailored for diaspora artists in the Nordic regions, this thoughtful initiative underscores a commitment to nurturing artistic interaction, cultural dialogues, and creative empowerment across diverse artistic spheres.

By intertwining environmental advocacy, cultural exploration, and community engagement, "Layering Gang Kelinci" bridges with Gudskul to shape a cultural environment steeped in inclusivity, collaboration, and artistic resonance.

https://youtu.be/Hy8ww9tIJZ0

 

Installation view of the exhibition

 

 
close up of the artwork

 

Adi on his motorbike

 

Interview session at Ruru Radio, Gudskul

 

Gudskul-a place surrounded by cafes, studios, concert hall and artist residency.