HONF and Public Activism

HONF received in 2011 the Transmediale Award for their installation Intelligent Bacteria. Transmediale is an international festival for art and digital culture that pursues the development of artistic projects reflecting on the socio-cultural, political and creative impact of new technologies. Intelligent Bacteria - Saccharomyces cerevisiae responds to the high number of deaths in Indonesia due to alcohol consumption.  Through acoustic and performance installation this project seeks to draw attention to such a pressing social and cultural issue.
photo courtesy: http://culture360.org

The founder of HONF
photo courtesy: http://www.youngart.ru

The House Of Natural Fiber (HONF) merupakan sebuah laboratorium media-art yang dijalankan oleh komunitas yang bersifat terbuka di Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Metodologi kerjanya sebagian besar terkait dengan kebutuhan lintas-tindakan kolaboratif yang merespon perkembangan teknologi dan praksis penggunaannya dalam kehidupan keseharian.

Awalnya, mereka memulai eksistensinya sebagai sebuah komunitas berusia muda yang ingin melakukan apa saja yang memang ingin dikerjakan, dengan kecenderungan semangat kebersamaan yag alamiah dan tidak bekerja untuk keuntungan pribadi. Mereka kemudian berkonsentrasi pada prinsip-prinsip kritik dan penciptaan inovatif yang lebih relevan bagi mereka sendiri, keluarga dan masyarakat.

Berpikir ke depan secara positif dan kreatif-adalah visi HONF, yang diimplementasikan dengan bekerja terhadap pengembangan seni, ilmu pengetahuan, dan teknologi bagi masyarakat. Berbekal visi tersebut, HONF memulai Program Pendidikan Focus (EFP), kurikulum yang menjadi  pedoman untuk kegiatan HONF, dan sebagai respons terhadap situasi global sekaligus kondisi di Indonesia.

EFP berkonsentrasi pada pertukaran pengetahuan interdisipliner dengan menganalisa secara kritis  isu-isu lokal dan global, dan menciptakan ide-ide inovatif untuk mencari solusi terhadap mereka. Untuk mempercepat dampak, acara seperti Cellsbutton, Yogyakarta International Media Art Festival, dan YIVF, Yogyakarta International Videowork Festival, yang diselenggarakan setiap tahun mengajak masyarakat lokal dan internasional untuk berkolaborasi dan memperluas kemungkinan baru dalam praktek-praktek inovatif dan kreatif.



The House Of Natural Fiber (HONF) is a media-art laboratory run by an open community in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Their methodology is mostly concerned with the needs of cross-collaborative actions responding to technology development and practical use in daily life. In the beginning, they started off as a young community that wanted to do whatever they wished, with a natural inclination to create with a spirit of togetherness and not work simply for personal profit. They concentrate on principles of critique and innovative creation that is relevant to them, their family, the society, and to their environment. 

Thinking forward—positively and creatively—is HONF’s vision, which is implemented by working towards the development of art, science, and technology for society. With this vision, HONF initiated Education Focus Program (EFP), a curriculum that acts as a guideline for HONF activities, and is in response to global situations and conditions in Indonesia. EFP concentrates on interdisciplinary knowledge exchanges in critical analysis towards local and global issues, and creating innovative ideas to seek solutions toward them. To accelerate the impact, Cellsbutton, Yogyakarta International Media Art Festival, and YIVF, Yogyakarta International Videowork Festival, are held annually to invite local and international communities to collaborate and expand new possibilities in creative innovative practices.

source: www.natural-fiber.com

Cold Lava Flowing to the RiverCode - Mount Merapi Yogyakarta 1, Central Java, Indonesia
photo courtesy: article.wn.com

Cold Lava Flowing to the River Code - Mount Merapi Yogyakarta 2, Central Java, Indonesiaphoto courtesy: article.wn.com

Dozens of people witnessed the cold lava of Merapi flooding River
source and photo courtesy: mannaismayaadventure.com

Intelligent Bacteria on display at the New Museum, New York, USA. 

After the eruption of Merapi Mountain, HONF did an experiment and found that part of the Code River (In Jogya, Central of Java, Indonesia) was polluted, but people still drink and swim [in it]; People use it in their daily life. After that, HONF started a research project to find a solution for the people. To filtrate water. In this project, They brought fiour examples of the river of their city and showed a real time projection from the microscope connected with plants as a life form and how to keep low frequency electro magnetic waves from the plant. HONF believe that all material produces energy, and they work a lot with energy.

.Image courtesy of the New Museum, New York. Photo: Jesse Untracht-Oakner