Rimbawan Gerilya
Reflecting upon the life as what we often call matrix, Rimbawan has his own intake on its visual representation. The stories put out with bright clash within the digital format even touches the nihilistic side of philosophy. Are we truely experiencing the life of wonders or its an another stimulation?
So my first question for you is wanting to know your backstory first. How was growing up for you? Please describe the Asian landscape that you grew up in and its relation to the west.
I grew up in an upper-bracket working-class household in a near downtown residential neighborhood with a wide spectrum of economic classes. As a family, we were relatively low status if it weren't for my father's determination to provide higher education, and my mother's obsession with middle-class norms as portrayed on TV which made us seem pretty well off, yet she had to sell fishcakes (Pempek) to make ends meet. My father was a high-achieving aircraft mechanic who struggled to climb up his career ladder due to top positions assigned to foreigners. It was considered good for the company's image to have foreigners leading the workforce. This was partly because of inferiority syndrome, a remnant of colonialism when natives were lowly workers and foreigners (Dutch mostly) were the ruling class. My father's disdain for this norm and his stubborn egalitarian worldview rubbed off on me at a young age.
Please take us through your initial phases of exploring cultures, their differences, and the quirks that you now working upon. How and what you were fascinated and set aback by?
I started getting interested in a global culture other than what they spoonfed through media when I got involved in VJ-ing for a local Drum and Bass gigs. To me, Jungle Drum and Bass was so relevant to my city life experience. Aggressive MC shouting snappy bars sounded like local bus conductors announcing their route, trying not the get drowned by the background sound of chaotic traffic. The Drums and Bass gigs were always small and intimate. They often leave the mic accessible to attendees, so I sometimes tried to MC by mixing broken English with the local dialect. It was surprising to me how organic the fusion felt. Jungle MC shouting “Pull up Selector!” to ask for a rewind can be replaced with local saying “Banting Kiri, Bang” which means “pull a hard left, Brother” which is a common shout by bus conductors to bus drivers when passengers requested to be dropped off.
There seemed to be some shared experiences that caused some cultures to resonate well with others. It could stem from disappointment towards a corrupt government, living close to the poverty line, lack of education and opportunity, etc. Foreign cultures brewing in these conditions will feel familiar to someone living in an impoverished state. The connections are fascinating but the many darker sides are there as well.
You have brought light to the socio-economic and cultural matters of our society. By humorizing the notion at times along with a sarcastic punch you are reaching people in a way that brings edge and wit. what do you wish to make influence upon?
Mild satire felt like the best way for me to nudge the culture I'm in into a more enlightened state. I'm surrounded and relied on a relatively conservative society that could deem me a pariah easily. Being relatively powerless all my life means I can't face the mainstream head-on. It would be best if my criticisms come from a caring place to persuade people to open their minds more to science and reason without feeling judged or targeted. I often adopt the imagery from faith-based cultures to make fun of myself instead of said culture by using a 3D figure of me as a cult leader. Self-deprecation is an equalizer. I'm criticizing both the mainstream culture and myself, therefore I can spread the message of self-criticism to many by pointing the finger at myself first and foremost.
Art is a playful means for you please speak of your intentions with the art you produce. What is the overall message?
I'd like to live in a more egalitarian society where people are judged by their merits, not who they are connected with. I'd like to contribute to a local culture that's robust, vibrant, generous, and a boon to global culture. I think all that could be achieved by a more scientific way of thinking, by which I mean a mindset that values logic, evidence, reviews, and constantly evolving.
You have made an interesting cultural mix of a global view with your personal quirks. What do you think about your particular medium to support your stories? What do you like about it ?
The way videogame represents reality, or tries to attain certain aesthetics, resonates with how a deprived culture tries to create its own semblance of world-class (or just better) standards. With limited computing resources, video games could still bring an immersive experience. I love real-time graphics for this reason. It's “cheaper” and more immediate. Production quality is limited so I better compensate it with interesting ideas.
Last but not least.. Please tell us the meaning behind using the Scorpio logo.
Before I started making digital arts, I was a visual jockey (VJ) and I wanted my visuals to sting and be memorable. Some scorpions glow in the dark with UV light and If you're in a room with a venomous scorpion, you'd most likely keep your eyes on it. :)
interview JAGRATI MAHAVER
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