GEGERBOYO in the Elleboogkerk

In the new installation Eroded Borders the Javanese collective GEGERBOYO focuses on the constantly changing meaning of borders and territory. The work shows how these have emerged and shifted throughout history in the Indonesian archipelago: from Hindu-Buddhist empires such as Mataram and Majapahit and Muslim Mataram, colonial rule by Portugal, Britain and mainly the Netherlands, the Japanese occupation and finally the independence struggle and post-colonial period. These historical shifts in power were often accompanied by new forms of territory demarcation, with borders increasingly used by colonial powers from the sixteenth century onwards to maintain control over trade in valuable commodities such as cloves, tea, coffee, sugar, quinine and nutmeg. In the process, they took on tangible forms, such as forts, ports and high fences, which not only expressed territorial power but also defined cultural relations and economic structures. Even in today's world, this history still operates and the demarcation of land remains a source of conflict, in which power relations, religion, ethnicity and ideology play a defining role - often at the expense of lives, culture and livelihoods.

Eroded Borders shows that borders are not static. They are continually redefined by how societies understand themselves, write history and organize power. GEGERBOYO incorporates a wide range of sources in the installation: from historical figures, both heroes and perpetrators, and official historiography to propaganda, local narratives and alternative perspectives. By bringing all these layers together, the work invites reflection: what do borders mean today, and how do they affect our view of the past, present and future?

GEGERBOYO is an art collective founded in June 2017 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, consisting of Enka Komariah, Prihatmoko Moki and Anjali Nayenggita. Former members include Vendy Methodos (2017-2023), Dian Suci (2017-2022) and Ipeh Nur (2019-2022). GEGERBOYO draws inspiration from Indonesian, especially Javanese, culture and and how it intersects with urban culture and modern socio-political issues. The collective's modus operandi resembles the traditional Javanese ketoprak, where members interact within a common theme. In the early years, the focus was mainly on murals, but they now also focus on other art forms, such as wajang (shadow puppets), painting, batik and installations.

The name GEGERBOYO comes from a hill on the flanks of the Merapi volcano in Yogyakarta. This hill is shaped like the back of a crocodile. In Javanese, Geger Boyo literally means "crocodile back," where "Geger" means back and "Boyo" means crocodile. The hill long acted as a natural buffer protecting surrounding communities from eruptions and hot ash clouds from Mount Merapi, until it was destroyed in 2010 by a massive lava flow that could not be stopped.