In his recent trilogy, artist Riar Rizaldi constructs speculative narratives around the ecological crisis, colonialism, extractivism, capitalism, and technology in Indonesia. Having endured centuries of Dutch colonial rule and subsequent oppressive regimes, Indonesia now stands witness to economic growth fuelled by the exploitation of its abundant natural resources. Yet, the artist raises pertinent questions about who truly benefits from this growth and at what expense.

The screening of three short films will be followed by a post-screening talk by Riar Rizaldi, via video call, held in English. The talk will be moderated by M+ Curator of Moving Image, Ulanda Blair.

Kasiterit

2019 | Digital | Indonesian with English subtitles | 18 min.

Kasiterit explores the intricate entanglement of tin with contemporary technologies like advanced robotics, renewable energy, and AI. The protagonist is Natasha, a solar-powered AI voice machine, who delves deep into its own material history to unravel the truth about its origins in Bangka Island, Indonesia, where one-third of the world’s tin is derived.  

Tellurian Drama

2020 | Digital | Indonesian with English subtitles | 26 min.

In 1923, the Dutch East Indies government celebrated the opening of Radio Malabar, a radio station whose transmitters spanned across two mountains in West Java, Indonesia. Fast-forward to March 2020 and the local government plans to revive the station as a historical landmark and tourist destination. Tellurian Drama reimagines the untold stories that transpired in the intervening years, offering a speculative and poetic examination of the mountains’ cultural, ecological, technological, and economic significance.

Becquerel

2021 | Digital | Indonesian with English subtitles | 19 min.

In a distant future, Indonesia is powered by an artificial sun, and the workers are unable to sleep. Becquerel follows the child-philosopher Sajad Ali as he reflects upon the politics of thorium mining in Indonesia, the dangers of nuclear energy, and the inherent tensions between labour, energy consumption, and the natural environment.

Riar Rizaldi (b. 1990, Indonesia) is an artist and filmmaker whose works have been showcased at prestigious film festivals including the Locarno Film Festival, Switzerland; International Film Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands; the British Film Institute London Film Festival, England; Cinéma du Réel, France; Singapore International Film Festival, and more. Some of the exhibitions featuring his works have taken place at the Centre Pompidou, France; NTT InterCommunication Center, Japan; Taipei Biennial, Taiwan; Istanbul Biennial, Turkey; Venice Architecture Biennale, Italy; and Biennale Jogja, Indonesia. Solo exhibitions and dedicated screening programmes have been hosted by Batalha Centro de Cinema in Porto, Portugal, and the Centre de la Photographie Genève, Switzerland, among others.