Two students from the Master’s Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) UGM, Febri Anugerah and Isradina Paricha, from the art collective Lelaku Studio, were participating artists in the Biennale Jatim XI, which took place from 20 August to 20 September 2025. The biennale, which is being held at the Pudak Gallery in Gresik, East Java, is themed Hantu Laut: The Spectre of The Sea and serves as a space to re-examine society’s relationship with the ocean. Lelaku Studio, active since 2018, is known for its distinctive artistic practice that merges archaeological research with material innovation. Their focus on repurposing High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic is not merely an aesthetic choice but also a principled stance aligned with sustainable production and environmental stewardship. read more

A second Forum Rabu Wagen session was held on August 20, 2025. The session began with a welcoming speech from Dr. Budi Irawanto to the participants, especially the new students attending the Rabu Wagen Forum session for the first time, which was organised by the Doctoral Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) at UGM. Twenty-two postgraduate students attended the second event of the year. Two speakers who are also doctoral students of PSPSR, namely Terra Bajraghosa and Agustinus Paulus Umbu Tali, were selected to present their research progress. Terra Bajraghosa initiated the knowledge-sharing session, titled “Exploring the Identity of Independent Comics.” The research scheme shared was comprehensive and inspiring. read more

Yogyakarta, August 23, 2025 – The Master’s Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, held its second dissemination forum, “Gelar Jejak #2 – Technology of Enchantment,” on Saturday (23/8). This forum provided a reflective and dialogical space for alumsto present their thesis research and engage with the public.

Moderated by Heni Siswantari, the event featured two presenters:

Rifa Fitriana, S.Sn., M.A., delivered her research “The Allure of Flow-Art in Flownesia’s Fire Dance Performances.” She explained how fire dance transcends physical performance, becoming a symbolic space that combines technical agency, visual aesthetics, and representation of identity. The incorporation of flow techniques emphasises integration between local traditional values and modern technological advancements. read more

The Graduate Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, continues its initiative Ngobrol Tesis—a discussion forum designed to share academic insights in a conversational yet informative format. The program invites PSPSR alumni to share their experiences, research processes, and findings from their master’s theses, from initial ideas to final outcomes.

In this edition, the featured speaker was Ramdani Rachmat, S.Sn., M.A. (PSPSR Alumnus, 2022 Even Semester), presenting his thesis entitled “Art and Cultural Memory: A Case Study on the Wanar Dance and the Banda Genocide in Maluku.” The discussion was moderated by Delfin Febriansyah, S.Sn. (PSPSR Student, 2024 Odd Semester). read more

The Graduate Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has released a new episode of Ngobrol Tesis, a discussion program now available as a podcast. This edition features two PSPSR alums from the 2022 odd semester cohort: M. Ismail Hamsyah, S.Ant., M.A., and Muhammad Yudi Eko Nugroho, S.Pd., M.A., who shared insights on the role of sound engineers in both traditional and contemporary performing arts.

Ismail presented his research on sound engineering in the Ramayana Ballet performance at Prambanan through his thesis entitled “Suara-Suara Peracik Bunyi: Kajian Artistik dan Estetik Sound Engineer Gamelan Sendratari Ramayana Prambanan”. He emphasised how artistic and aesthetic aspects significantly contribute to shaping the audience’s auditory experience. read more

Yogyakarta, July 16, 2025 – The Master’s Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, organisedorganized a dissemination forum entitled Gelar Jejak #1: Art and Technology. This forum served as a platform for students and alumni to share the results of their thesis research, as well as a reflective and dialogical space that bridges academic discourse with public engagement through the medium of art.

The forum featured two speakers: Akhmad Mu’izzanur Sastrabayu, S.Pd., M.A., and Erick Antonio Karo Sekali, S.Sn., M.A., who presented topics on the preservation of traditional musical instruments through technology and intergenerational education. read more

Yogyakarta, June 16, 2025 – The Graduate Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) hosted a sharing session with visual artist Natasha Tontey. This event comprised a segment of the Visual Arts, Design, and Media Arts Studies course, which Dr. Rr. Paramitha Dyah Fitriasari S., Ant., M.Hum., teaches. The activity took place on Monday, June 16, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM WIB, in Room 407 of the UGM Graduate Building.

Under the theme “World-Building through Peculiar Pleasures: Kitsch, Autophagia, and Ancestral Ghost,” Natasha Tontey invited participants to delve into her artistic practice. This practice roots itself in the imagination of alternative worlds, collective trauma, and marginalized cultural experiences. She explained that the concept of world-building in her work does not merely involve creating narrative worlds, but rather a complex symbolic and spiritual world with a system of meaning derived from local roots. read more

The Master’s Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies, Graduate School, held a Guest Lecture entitled “Glocalization and Cultural Identity” on Monday, May 26, 2025, from 13:00 to 15:00 WIB. The event took place in Room 407, 4th Floor of the Graduate School building and featured Prof. Dr. Ignatius Bambang Sugiharto, a distinguished scholar and cultural thinker in Indonesia.

Open to the public, the event received an enthusiastic response from participants, filling the venue to full capacity. In his opening remarks, Prof. Bambang expressed his appreciation for the active engagement of the attendees, which reflected a deep interest in the topic discussed. read more

The art performance “Performing Enchantment,” initiated by a collaboration between alumni and students of the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) Program at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), successfully garnered widespread appreciation from the audience at the UGM Innovation and Creativity Arena (GIK). This event manifested Indonesia’s rich culture by presenting traditional to contemporary arrangements and inviting appreciation from diverse art enthusiasts, particularly the extended family of PSPSR UGM. read more

Syawalan Seni was a celebration of two milestones: the 34th anniversary of the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies program at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, and the 36 years of dedication by the beloved lecturer, G. R. Lono Lastoro Simatupang. Held over two days—8 and 9 May 2025—at GIK UGM, the event carried the theme “Performing Enchantment”, bringing together a diverse lineup of performers including Samba Sunda, the PSPSR Orchestra, and OM Jarang Pulang.

OM Jarang Pulang (OMJP) is a dangdut band formed by alumni and students of the Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies program. The current ensemble features Michael H. B. Raditya (percussion), Ribeth Nurvijayanto (keys), Agus Umbu (keys), Hata Nugraha (bass), Thalita Nur Fadillah (drums), Anbie Haldini (tambourine), Yuki Raudhul Rizky (guitar), and vocalists Selin Rimesu and Ratna Wulan Sari. Since its formation in 2018, OMJP has become known for its vibrant mix of dangdut, koplo, and ambyar, and has released three original tracks: “Baper,” “Udarasa,” and “Sajerone Segara Sajembare Samudera.” read more