Jakarta โ- Yogyakarta-based artist Ipeh Nur is showcasing her โinstallation, โข”The Wavesโข Not to Sleep,” at ART โคJakarta 2025, following a โsuccessful presentation of the โwork-rooted in the Javanese myth โof Nyi Roro Kidul-in Ukraine last year.
The 4 x 2.5 โmeter installation, constructed with soil and โขlime from Southern Java, features an 11-minute video art โขpiece exploring Nur’s grandfather’s spiritual journeys along the southern coast of Java, from Parangkusumo to Sadeng Beach and the purba Bengawan โSolo River. The work draws inspiration from the labuhan or sea alms โceremonies traditionally heldโข each Suro (Javanese New year).
“Actually this work is a memory about grandfather, whoโ traveled from Parangkusumo to โฃSadeng Beach, Muara Bengawanโ Soloโ Purba. very fittingโฃ (making โvideos) there is a labuhan event or sea โฃalms,” โขNur โstated onโฃ Thursday,October 4th.
nur’s project began as a personal exploration โคof โfamily history, sparked by stories from her motherโ aboutโ her grandfather’s spiritual beliefs. “For me this โis a personal work, which has a private conflict when I live โฃin โฃthe south andโฃ north with a more religious andโ south experience with spiritual,” she โexplained. The title, “The Wavesโ not โขto sleep,”โ reflects the โฃcyclical nature ofโ memory, mirroring theโฃ constant return of waves.
The artist’s research extends โคbeyond personal โคrecollection, delving into โgeological records โขandโ the mythology โsurrounding Nyiโฃ Roro Kidul. “I also question again, who is famous for mythโข Nyi Roro Kidul and foundโ a geological research record, geological evidence where โthe age of ancient earth inโ southern Java, just like the appearance of Nyi Roro โขKidul’s story,” Nur said. She is interested in how mythology can serve as aโค record of pastโข disasters,โ viewing myths as “recording an crucial event or disaster.”
Nur received the Anugerah Future Generation Awardโข from the Victor Pinchukโฃ Foundation for her presentation of the Nyi Roro โKidul mythology in Ukraine last year. “The waves Not to Sleep” โขis now โฃon display atโ ART Jakarta 2025 in โthe AJ Spot program in front of Ara Contemporary,โ and โขwill be available forโ viewing thru the weekend.
