This article examines how intermedial theatre operates as an extension of postdramatic conditions through contemporary Indonesian performance practices. Focusing on two practice-based works, Pilihan Pembayun and Dialog Antigone, the study analyses how dramaturgical configurations shift from body–tradition relations toward increasingly intermedial body–media formations. Rather than positioning intermediality as a separate aesthetic category, the article argues that intermedial theatre develops from the relational logic of postdramatic performance, in which meaning emerges through interactions among bodies, media, sound, space, and technological systems. Using a practice-as-research framework, the study examines dramaturgical structures, directing strategies, and intermedial compositions to explore how theatrical agency is redistributed across human and nonhuman elements. In Pilihan Pembayun, performative relations remain strongly connected to ritual memory, collective affect, and embodied tradition, while Dialog Antigone intensifies fragmentation through digital media, visual projections, and dispersed performative agencies. Through this comparative dramaturgical trajectory, the article demonstrates that intermediality transforms not only theatrical form but also the relational operation of power, embodiment, and spectatorship in contemporary performance. Furthermore, the article positions Indonesian theatre practice not merely as a local application of Western theory, but as a site of conceptual production contributing to global debates on postdramatic theatre, intermedial dramaturgy, and performance epistemology.
The Cirebon Kasepuhan Palace is one of the great cultural heritages from the Indonesian archipelago, which must always be preserved so that it does not become extinct in the modern era. Traditional clothing is one part of the cultural wealth from the Kasepuhan Cirebon Palace. This Palace has established a partnership with the Curaweda company to advance the tourism industry, thereby increasing economic value and the welfare of people in this region. Their product innovation is not yet optimal in representing the unique and distinctive cultural and artistic values from the Cirebon Kasepuhan Palace as a commercial product for tourists. The creation of fashion products that reflect the distinctive artistic and cultural characteristics of Cirebon Kasepuhan Palace could be a solution to this problem and advance the tourism industry in this region. This research aimed to create ready-to- wear fashion inspired by the traditional clothing of the Cirebon Kasepuhan Palace, as a commercial product to advance the tourism industry and preserve the region’s culture. This research used Dharsono’s artistic creation method, which comprises three stages: experimentation, reflection, and formation through reinterpretation of the conservation concept. This research resulted in a fashion collection comprising four ready-to-wear pieces that represented the distinctive characteristics of the traditional attire of the Cirebon Kasepuhan Palace. The resulting collection was further evaluated through experts judgment and tourist responds to examine its success in representing cultural identity and its potential contribution to creative economy & cultural tourism development. The name of this fashion collection is Ratna Sari Caruban Nagari, which means beautiful treasures from the Cirebon land. The results of this research could be used to develop fashion products rooted in local wisdom to support the advancement of the Cirebon Kasepuhan Palace tourism industry and to preserve Nusantara art and culture, particularly in the fashion sector.
This article examines Jamus Kalimasada leather craft as a form of visual communication within Javanese urban cultural practice. Traditionally recognized in wayang narratives as a sacred heirloom, Jamus Kalimasada is reinterpreted through buffalo hide craft employing tatah and sungging techniques combined with Islamic calligraphy and ornamental motifs. This study aims to analyze the visual construction, material processes, and symbolic meanings through which tauhid is articulated in contemporary craft practice. The research applies a qualitative descriptive method using visual observation, documentation, and semi-structured interviews with the artisan. The collected data were analyzed through visual and thematic interpretation focusing on composition, ornamentation, and symbolic configuration. The findings show that the integration of shahada calligraphy, gunungan symbolism, and geometric ornamentation creates a structured visual articulation of tauhid that functions beyond decorative purposes. The hierarchical arrangement of visual elements communicates religious meaning through materiality, form, and compositional order rather than verbal doctrine. In the context of urban society, the craft operates as a medium of cultural negotiation that preserves local religious identity while responding to modernization, commercialization, and the dominance of instant visual culture. This study contributes to the discourse on urban society’s arts by positioning traditional buffalo hide craft as a communicative and social practice capable of sustaining Islamic-Javanese symbolism and cultural continuity within contemporary urban environments.
Zines are alternative media embedded within urban subculture communities in Bandung, Indonesia. Zines function not only as platforms for personal expression but also as design practices shaped by social relations, collective values, and media technology. This study uses Activity Theory as an analytical lens to examine how zine design is mediated by sociocultural systems within subculture networks. Adopting a qualitative case study approach, the research investigates four subculture zines such as Form and Pressure, Saturasi, Break from Cinema, and Golosor Times through in-depth interviews and participant observation. The findings demonstrate that zine-making is a socially situated design activity mediated by interactions among subjects, tools, objectives, rules, communities, and divisions of labor. While each case presents a distinct configuration of these elements, all emphasize participatory and context-sensitive design approaches. This study argues that zine-making should be understood as a form of activity system grounded in community practices as a process of knowledge production, identity articulation, and technological dynamics. Furthermore, this study proposes Activity Theory as a robust methodological framework for analyzing community-based design, offering insights for expanding design paradigms toward more democratic, inclusive, and culturally embedded practices.
This research aims to develop an animation concept (moving image) inspired by Nusantara, which can serve as a source of inspiration for Indonesian animation and offer a unique value in the global market. The object of study used to derive this concept is the Lalitavistara relief depicting Shakyamuni drawing a bow at Borobudur. This particular relief was chosen because the depiction of Shakyamuni’s pose conveys a sense of movement. The method employed to generate this Nusantara animation concept is Design-Based Research (DBR) in animation. The character’s motion was reconstructed from the relief poses using a biped rigging system in 3DS Max. To accurately interpret Shakyamuni’s pose, the researcher utilized 3D photogrammetry to capture clear and detailed visuals of the character’s posture. The motion reconstruction process involved creating a sequence of character poses, starting from key poses to blocking poses, ultimately resulting in a reconstructed animation inspired by Nusantara. The findings of this research reveal that the main archery movement is not portrayed directly; instead, it incorporates additional movements that enhance the aesthetic value—specifically, dance-like gestures embedded within the primary action. Furthermore, some of these choreographed poses carry implicit meanings within their motions. Therefore, the resulting Nusantara animation concept can serve as a valuable reference for future Indonesian animated film productions, offering a distinctive and culturally rich identity in the global animation market.
