Krisna Murti

Krisna Murti was a pioneering Indonesian artist, widely regarded as the father of video art in Indonesia. He graduated from the Painting Studio at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Bandung Institute of Technology, in 1981.

In the 1990s, he began producing video installations, exploring themes such as the cultural and societal impact of digitalisation, the tension between tradition and modernity, and social issues including identity politics. His multidisciplinary practice spanned painting, photography, video, installation, and performance. Among his notable works are the video performance 12 Jam dalam Kehidupan Penari Agung Rai (1993) and the early video installation Makanan Tidak Mengenal Ras (1999), which addressed cultural diversity and identity in Indonesia.

Krisna Murti’s works were exhibited internationally at major art events such as the Havana Biennale (Cuba), Gwangju Biennale (South Korea), Venice Biennale (Italy), Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale (Japan), and numerous new media art festivals across Europe and Australia. In 2002, he founded Indonesia’s first international new media art festival, bavf~NAF.His contributions were recognised with several accolades, including Artist of the Year 2010 by Tempo magazine and the Octubre Corto Special Award in Spain (2013). Krisna Murti passed away in 2023, leaving a profound and enduring legacy in Indonesian contemporary art—particularly in the realms of video and multimedia practice.