Kurniadi Widodo (Indonesia-Yogyakarta)
Kurniadi Widodo (1985, Medan) is a freelance photographer and educator currently based in Yogyakarta. His personal works often start from his interest and observation on how humans shape, modify, and redefine the spaces around them.
His interest in photography education has often led him to be actively involved in communities and initiatives working in this scene, including Cephas Photo Forum, Kelas Pagi Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Morning Class), as he is currently active in the critical photography education collective Arkademy. In 2016 together with two other photographers he founded the Flock Project, a collective that focuses on exploring photographic works through independent publishing.
In 2019 he worked as the co-curator of the exhibition at the InSumatra Photo Festival. In 2021 he will also become one of the curators at the Jakarta International Photo Festival. He has had two solo exhibitions, In Between (2011) and Loci Memoriae (2018), both held in Yogyakarta.
His solo exhibitions: Loci Memoriae, Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta (2018). Meanwhile, joint exhibitions that have been held include: Jakarta International Photo Festival, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) Cikini Small Theater, Jakarta (2019); and Pause Rewind Forward #2, Kiniko Art, Yogyakarta (2021). In addition, Kurniadi is also interested in photo curatorial works, one of which is the second edition of the Jakarta International Photo Festival (JIPFest) (2020).
“Towards New Landscapes” (2018–ongoing)
Digital photography, printed on paper and PVC banner
Variable size
The integration of cameras into mobile devices and the widespread use of photo-based social media drove the creation of a new form of relationship between photography and tourism that was unimaginable before. The old understanding of the definition of a tourist attraction and how tourists react to it changes drastically, naturally, and uncontrollably. The parties who previously held the authority to decide which place to be a tourist destination are now losing such authority. New tourist destinations can be created overnight. Various modifications, up to the replication of tourist destinations, are carried out to attract visitors who want to take pictures in front of the provided attractions and upload the pictures to their social media channels. Meaning, photography and social media have a direct influence on the formation of this new artificial tourism culture.
This photography project seeks to capture the contemporary tourism phenomenon in Indonesia over the last few years and its effects on various issues, including sustainable economic development, changes in land and space functions, and perceptions of self-identity, as well as other impacts that have yet to be mapped.
