Bandung, 11 November 2025. Two students from the Graduate Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Chentrika Matrella Swasti and Moeti Ayudhia Shali, were selected as presenters at the Asian Cultural Echoes: International Conference of Bamboo Music held at ISBI Bandung on 11 November 2025. Of the 19 submitted papers, only 5 were selected for presentation in the main session of the conference, which carried the theme Preserving and Innovating Bamboo Music for Cultural Sustainability.
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Yogyakarta, October 5, 2025 – Khairunnisa Sholikhah, a student from the Master of Performing and Visual Arts Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (PSPSR UGM), participated as an artist in the Biennale Jogja 2025, themed “KAWRUH: The Land of Practice” (KAWRUH: Tanah Lelaku). The Biennale Jogja 2025 is held from October 5 to November 20, 2025, across 12 venues in Yogyakarta. Khairunnisa, who is collaborating with the Arungkala Collective, is one of the 60 participating artists.
Through the theme “KAWRUH: The Land of Practice” (KAWRUH: Tanah Lelaku), Biennale Jogja 2025 aims to emphasize that knowledge can also emerge from experience, practice, and the social relations of village communities. This theme aligns with the residency project previously conducted by the Arungkala Collective in February at the Nyah Lasem Museum and Kendeng. The results of this residency are presented as two installation works at the Biennale Jogja 2025.
I Made Christian Wiranata Rediana, an alumnus of the Study Program of Performing and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), delivered a captivating performance at the closing of the International Graduate Scholars’ Conference in Indonesia (IGSSCI) on November 5, 2025,by presenting the Topeng Gunung Sari dance. Redian’s performance became the impressive highlight of the event, combining the beauty of traditional Javanese performing arts with the spirit of cultural preservation in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Yogyakarta, November 7th, 2025 – In commemoration of National Wayang Day which celebrated annually on November 7th, CEMPALA (Centre for Multidisciplinary Puppetry Arts Learning and Appreciation) is proud to present “Wayang World 2025,” a comprehensive celebration showcasing the global, diverse, and modern dimensions of this Indonesian art—recognized as a world intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. The event organized in association with esteemed institutions, including Yale University Art Gallery, Ullen Sentalu Museum, Sonobudoyo Museum, and Universitas Gadjah Mada (PSPSR and FIB), held on Friday, November 7, 2025, utilizing a hybrid format (online and on-site). To reach a global audience, the event is also available for live streaming via Cempala’s website (www.cempala.com), Ullen Sentalu’s YouTube Channel, and Zoom Meeting, adapting to different time zones.
The Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada held a solemn Graduation Ceremony for Period 1 of Academic Year 2025/2026. This festive event was enlivened by students from the Master’s Program in Performing and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), Janur Pusparukmi and Rusnandi, who performed the Ronggeng Nyentrik Dance.
The involvement of both PSPSR students in this prestigious event demonstrates the study program’s commitment to integrating theory and practice in performing arts. The Ronggeng Nyentrik Dance presented is a form of traditional art preservation packaged with contemporary interpretation, reflecting the continuously evolving dynamics of Indonesian culture.
Logandeng, October 18, 2025 — Tiang Senja, a student from the Master’s Program in Performing Art and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) at Universitas Gadjah Mada, participated as an artist-participant in the Gelaran Olah Rupa (Visual Arts Exhibition) of the Yogyakarta Cultural Festival (FKY) 2025. Tiang Senja, alongside Nabila Rahma, collaborated with the Gunungkidul Artists Association (Ikatan Perupa Gunungkidul) in creating an artwork titled Gelu.
Gelaran Olah Rupa served as a meeting space for artists from various regions, emphasizing collaborative processes, research, and the cultivation of social relations. This activity was part of the Residensi Pekan Sowan (Visiting Week Residency), a program that convened nine artist collectives in diverse areas of Gunungkidul. Tiang Senja and Nabila Rahma, together with Ikatan Perupa Gunungkidul, undertook a residency in the Giring, Sodo, Paliyan, Gunungkidul region. During the residency, they explored several significant sites, such as the Pesarean (Tomb) of Ki Ageng Giring, Watu Gowang River, Watu Lumpang (Mortar Stone), and Mount Bagus. This journey not only provided geological insights but also fostered a spiritual and ecological understanding of the human relationship with land and water. The Giring–Sodo region demonstrated the interconnectedness between local knowledge, tradition, and the community’s daily life with their natural environment.
Logandeng, October 18, 2025 — Isradina Paricha, a student from the Master’s Program in Performing Art and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR) at Universitas Gadjah Mada, participated as the Program Coordinator for Pawon Hajat Khasiat: Dapur Penuh Rasa Solidaritas (A Kitchen Brimming with the Spirit of Solidarity). This activity constituted one of the main programs of the Yogyakarta Cultural Festival (FKY) 2025, held in Logandeng, Playen, Gunungkidul, from October 11–18, 2025. Isradina, alongside Fajar Riyanto as the Programmer, managed an open kitchen that engaged groups of mothers from Logandeng Village, the local youth organization (karang taruna), Women Farmers’ Groups (KWT), and local communities with an interest in food and cultural issues.
Yogyakarta, October 11–12, 2025 — Students of the Master’s Program in Performing and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), once again embodied cross-disciplinary and cross-spatial learning through a field study at the Yogyakarta Cultural Festival (FKY) 2025, themed Adoh Ratu Cedhak Watu and held in Logandeng, Playen, Gunungkidul. This activity served as a meeting ground between theory and practice, as well as a celebration of culture, art, and sustainability in harmony with UGM’s academic spirit.
Yogyakarta, October 11–12, 2025 — Graduate students of the Master’s Program in Performing Art and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), conducted a field study at the Yogyakarta Cultural Festival (FKY) 2025, held at Logandeng Field, Playen, Gunungkidul. The activity served not only as an opportunity for observation but also as an experiential platform for students to actively engage in exploring the meanings of local participation, cultural practices, and ecological issues presented through the festival.
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.