Issue: N°_15

MELANKOLONIAL

Mengna Tan, Her Story so Far

In the late eighties the Chinese government, who had opened itself to Western nations, sent some students to study there. Mengna’s parents are some of them. They lived in Mainz until they finally moved to Berlin, when her father continued his further education in physics at Freie University. Mengna remembers growing up in Spandau as a good memory, there were many other People of Colours there. Her German became even better than her parents’. But after years of living here, it was still hard for her mom to integrate to German society. So in the early 2000s a decision had to be made: were they staying here, or should they move back to China? read more

Melankolonial

Melankolonial merupakan sebuah usaha pendekatan untuk menggambarkan latar sosial yang meliputi tokoh Aryati dalam pertunjukkan Soydivision dengan judul yang sama.

“Untitled” by Menga Tan

Mengna Tan, Untitled, 2021. 70 x 52. Wax, steel, embroidery on canvas.

In the primary school I was in a choir. I was really bored but I had to come. In my imagination, I could create water on the palm of my hand. The water would flood and sweep the choir so we can stop singing. In that moment, it felt vivid and real. I could do magic.
– Mengna Tan

Melankolonial (English)

This article is a translated version of an article with the same title by Umi Maisaroh. To read the original Bahasa Indonesia (recommended), click here.

Melankolonial, the night looks at me dimly, its voice groans, Aryati comes to me and whisphers:

Civilized Savagery

Once upon a time, in the past, Europe was plagued by a disease. Previously they had been ravaged by hunger. Others were defeated by war. Coutnless people fell. But one or two of them miraculously gained power. With the remaining energy and mind, they sailed in the sea of prayer. Hope and surrender were the winds. And one by one they found a fulcrum, which would change their faces, but also plague them with plague. An epidemic for which until now has not found a cure. read more

Bulan Aryati dan Hari Perempuan

Pada bulan Maret, ada satu hari yang khusus didedikasikan untuk perempuan. Bahkan di Berlin, hari itu menjadi hari libur resmi. Hari itu adalah Frauentag, hari perempuan, yang jatuh pada tanggal 8 Maret. Pada bulan ini pula Aryati akan memperkenalkan dirinya. Aryati, perempuan yang lahir dan mati dalam satu malam.

The Month of Aryati and Women’s Day

In March, there is a day specifically dedicated to women. Since a few years in Berlin, the day even became an official holiday. That day is Frauentag, women's day, which falls on March 8th. In this month also Aryati will introduce herself. Aryati, a woman who was born and died in one night.

GHALIZ Live at Berbrand Jam

On 12 June 2021 PPI Berlin-Brandenburg held their first episode of Berbrand Jam. Ghaliz Filkhair Hariz was the first musician to showcase his craft in that series of events. Watch the video below to enjoy 15 minutes of experimental aural adventure.

Ghaliz is an artist from Makassar who is currently studying Event Technology and Management at Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin. He founded a program for Thengerhin Radio Berlin called Musicratory, where he curated experimental musicians related to Indonesia. He is also part of the Soydivision Collective. Using various objects he finds, synthesizers, and various effects pedals, he creates sound compositions heavily influenced by human interaction, Sunn o))), and anime. read more

Aryati Main Artwork by Cindy Putri

Download

The main artwork of Aryati is designed by Cindy Putri. She is a Bali/Berlin-based Indonesian illustrator. Cindy Putri has been honing her skills in surrealism illustration for the past several years. Her works are highly inspired by mysticism, self-identity, life & death, dreams and emotional thoughts. Cindy is currently pursuing her studies in communication design while working as a freelancer creating poster, picture books, album/music cover art and product packaging.

Follow Cindy here. read more

Soy&Zine Special Print Edition: Aryati

To commemorate the premiere of Aryati, we released the print edition of our zine! This edition focuses on Aryati and includes some articles about the project, a playlist, and three recipes of the dishes that inspired by the epoch of Aryati.

Aryati: The Exhibition

On 16 March we opened an exhibition that accompany Aryati theatre piece. This exhibition displayed some pieces that were created along the process of making Aryati. It ran until the night of Aryati premiere on 19 March at AnaConda am Ufer in Uferstudios Berlin.

BLCKFINE Releases Their First Single: Passion of the Mood

BLCKFINE releases their first single: "Passion of the Mood". Written and composed by Bobby in 2018, he tried to make sense of his thoughts and feelings at the beginning of his realisation of having anxiety and depression, which was led by his insecurities in the matter of love, career and death.