From August 4 to 29, 2025, Ashar Murdihastomo, a doctoral candidate in Performing and Visual Arts Studies at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), led a cross-disciplinary research team in the Netherlands. The team was awarded a highly competitive grant from the Dutch Research Council (NWO) through the Research into Collections with a Colonial Context program. Out of numerous international proposals, only eleven were selected, and Ashar’s team was among those chosen.
Over nearly a month, the team conducted research at the Wereldmuseum and the Rijksmuseum, focusing on Indonesian sculptures from the eighth to the fifteenth century. Using 2D and 3D scanning technologies, the team documented the sculptures with high precision. The project involved researchers from the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), covering archaeology, archaeometry, sustainable cultural studies, and artificial intelligence, as well as computational experts from the University of Twente.
The research included documenting Hindu-Buddhist sculptures in Dutch collections, analyzing stylistic and facial characteristics with the support of artificial intelligence, and digitally reconstructing fragmented Buddha heads by matching fracture patterns. The outcomes will be presented through a publicly accessible 3D platform, accompanied by technical reconstructions of the origins of several Buddha heads. These contributions open new perspectives for archaeology and art history in Indonesia. (AM)
The project demonstrates strong relevance to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
1. SDG 4 – Quality Education
The project enhances academic collaboration, involving doctoral students, national researchers, and international experts, thereby improving research capacity and knowledge exchange.
2. SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
The application of 2D–3D scanning and artificial intelligence represents technological innovation in cultural heritage research and builds digital infrastructure for future studies.
3. SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
By documenting and digitizing Hindu-Buddhist sculptures, the project preserves cultural heritage and ensures its accessibility for both present and future generations.
4. SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Conducted within the framework of colonial-era collections, the research promotes historical transparency and contributes to decolonizing knowledge systems in cultural heritage studies.
5. SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
The collaboration between UGM, BRIN, the University of Twente, the Rijksmuseum, and the Wereldmuseum exemplifies strong international partnerships that advance research, digital innovation, and heritage preservation.
