SATIRANTAU

Satirantau is a visual metaphor that playfully critiques the nuances of merantau—the Indonesian concept of wandering or seeking one’s fortune away from home. The series reimagines everyday commercial products cherished by Indonesians and moreover.. it‘s diaspora (as they evoke a strong sense of “home”). However ,this series goes beyond mere romanticization of home; it critically examines the history, social impact, and complexities surrounding these iconic capitalist products.


👉🏼 “Seleraku” : glorious phenomenon of instant noodles, where the narrative unpacks gastro-politics of wheat 🌾 and its darker ties to monopolistic control associated with dictatorial regime. Later this specific brand also became an instant noodle pioneer in Africa.


👉🏼 “Gudang Kedelai” : clove cigarettes, a quintessential Indonesian product once symbolic of national industry (with scandalous significant low amount of tax). This piece explores how these cigarettes fueled economic growth while relying heavily on labor. In an ironic twist, the cigarette industry eventually fell into the hands of multinational corporations, with local workers left only as labors ✊🏾


👉🏼 “Kecoa” : The iconic insecticide becomes the subject of a striking graphic that plays on its notorious association with suicidal humor in Indonesia in the 80s and 90e. It subtly nods to its origins as a German chemical invention and the scandalous 1996 advertisement in a Guatemalan newspaper, which declared, “Der plötzliche Tod ist eine Spezialität aus Deutschland” (“Sudden death is a German specialty”). Well?


👉🏼 “Elang” : eucalyptus oil—a product deeply connected to Indo-Chinese heritage—because some of the brand identity even use chinese fonts, apparently developed by German chemist back in 1916, and heavily marketed in south east asia after second world war. Which belonging and authenticity should we rely on?


👉🏼 “Herbal Diaspora Drama” :  Herbal drink Known widely as a health tonic, it was controversially accused by American distributors of containing harmful chemicals which can caused cancer and birth defect. Another American made demonization that was never proven?