Based in Cirebon, West Java, Kurnia Ngayuga Wibowo or better known as Yuga is a mixed media artiste. Comprising of mostly black and white photos, he often combines his photos printed on a variety of paper texture with everyday items - threads, inks, oil and digitally scan them to get an out of this world effect.
Can you share with us a little about yourself?
Hello, I am Kurnia Ngayuga Wibowo and you can call me Yuga. I am a photographer based in Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia. I also work on personal projects and experiment with photography.
What is your background in photography?
I don't have a formal educational background related to photography. I am self-taught and learning with the community, participating in several photography seminars and workshops.
How did you get into photography and how long have you been at it?
I basically love the visual arts. Before getting to know photography I often made drawings, illustrations, and comics. Then in 2016 I was introduced to photography as another medium for work and became more interested when I got to know street photography in early 2017.
(Photo Above) Self-Portrait Series: The Self-Portrait Series is the work of personal unrest and questions in a more intimate space that revolves around me, my family, and my home. It's kind of a form of self-expression that I'm trying to make visually.
"I love crafts because for me it's a fun and relaxing thing. Then I was also intrigued by this mixed media approach because it made me think and ask that "what can I do afterward?" is like a challenge in itself. Then as I discussed earlier, before getting to know photography I often made drawings, illustrations, and comics. So for me, it's like combining all those elements with photography."
(Video Above) New Form: This is my experiment to present photographic works in another form, namely animated collages. I created the animation manually and used mixed media.
In 2022, Privacy Piracy, a zine comprising catalogs of Yuga's exhibition was published by RAWS Syndicate, an independent publisher based in Bandung.
This Zine is a product and catalog of my exhibition from the photo project "Privacy Piracy". "Privacy Piracy" was a concern and a question of my experienced while practicing street photography. Public space and street photography are two inseparable things, but each individual (our photographic subject) has the right to their privacy. I'm trying to question the extent of the firm boundary between public space and privacy.
What was your work approach like when making this zine?
This zine is my collaborative project with the publisher (RAWS Publishing). I discussed the process of making this zine with them and it was an interesting experience. The zine creation team consists of Curatorial manuscripts by Wahyu Dhian, Editor by Baskara Puraga, and Design by Grace Anata.
What are some of the challenges you’ve encountered while creating the zine?
In the beginning, the works made by being sewn one by one were true to be exhibited in the gallery. How to display the same work but with different shapes, editing the sequence from beginning to end, and making it a zine is a challenge in itself. I'm lucky to have a zine editor and a team of makers who are used to it.
Was this the first zine you’ve ever made?
Yes, but previously I was involved in several collective zines with the photography community in Bandung, including “Cerita Liburan” (2018) by Indo Street Project Jabar and “GM Photozine“ (2022) with the photography NFT collective.
Do you have plans to make another zine?
I made one more zine titled “Residual Energi” at the end of 2022, but it's still a dummy and self-publish. This photo project tells the story of how I manage my fear of mystical things at Cikapundung Antique Market which is the place of RAWS office.
Who are some of your favourite photographers?
Matt Black dan Masao Yamamoto
What influences your photographic/mixed media works these days?
I get a lot of inspiration from nearby neighbourhoods such as friends and communities. Also through the works of collage artists and other photographers.
What are you up to these days? Any new projects in the works?
So far I'm taking a break, but I have plans to work on a new photo project in 2023. Just look forward to it!
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