Exhibition

NEGOTIATING DANGER: Contemporary Javanese Scrolls Exhibition

By SEA Junction

This exhibition presents contemporary Javanese illuminated scrolls by Faisal Kamandobat, inscribed in Arab-Pegon script (Javanese in Arab script), a writing system preserved within Indonesia’s traditional Islamic boarding school (pesantren) traditions. Through this work, Faisal explores the ontological transformation of society, tracing the shift from the traditional period through the colonial era to the contemporary age, to understand the roots of power and the changing landscape of history. The narrative begins with the Nusantara cosmology, which emphasizes the balance between humanity, nature, and spiritual entities. This equilibrium was fractured when Western mythological figures, such as Leviathan and Poseidon, introduced a worldview defined by realism and expansionism. The subsequent shift from a cosmocentric to an anthropocentric worldview sparked global competition, ultimately leading to dehumanization, as well as social and ecological crises. MILITARISME Amidst the threat of civilizational collapse, the Selamatan ritual is presented as a space for reconciliation. By inviting mythological entities from both East and West to reflect, this work challenges us to move beyond aggressive realism toward a cosmological perspective that prioritizes cycles and balance. Through flexible and adaptive symbolic reasoning, power is negotiated to prevent the risks of deeper historical ruin. This work is a reflection of Faisal’s tenure as a researcher at the Abdurrahman Wahid Center for Peace and Humanities, University of Indonesia (AWCPH-UI). In his observations, tradition is a vital factor in fostering societal resilience against social conflict and natural disasters. Ritual acts as a form of reconciliation: it strengthens social solidarity during difficult times, reconfigures fragmented worldviews to remain relevant amidst change, and organizes historical chaos back into cosmos.

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