Theme: Manifesting Society: A Brief Inquiry in Popular Culture

Culture has always been a form of fulfillment for our existential desires. Whether it be as a way of preservation of the human experience, or a way of identifying oneself in this world. Culture is closely related to us as a species, a product of human civilization that allows us to be in touch with something more than ourselves.

In this year’s TEDxUniversitasBrawijaya, we explore one of the facets of culture that is incredibly close to our lives as modern humans. Pop Culture is something more than just a way of identifying ourselves or separating us as individuals, it is a powerful tool of connection. A way for us to be in tune with each other, to inspire, to communicate, and to connect.

All the moments in modern history, the moments we shared together as a whole, and the moments that move us forward are recorded through pop culture. Through it we find our place in this world, in the art we make, in the music we listen to, the lives that we lead. Pop culture is concrete proof of our power, not just as an individual being, but as a collective species.

Widyaloka Auditorium Hall
Jalan Veteran No. 1
Malang, Jawa Timur, 65145
Indonesia

Abdul Hair

Lecturer

Indonesia is a country that is all too familiar on identity crises. Ever since its independence Indonesia has always struggled in identifying its identity. Is it a postcolonial country? the largest muslim majority country in the world? Or even something else entirely. Throughout the years the life and zeitgeist of the nation is documented and watched through popular spectacles. In this talk Abdul Hair, a researcher of eastern pop culture examines the ever changing society of Indonesia that is reflected through the tv screen.

Anastasia Satriyo

Psychologist

On average a human being forms about 6000 thoughts over the course of a single day. Perception becomes a very important step to capture and process information, for it to be translated and grouped into a set of categories that we then develop into stereotypes. Stereotyping also eases the human brain in the process of thinking, it creates shortcuts in the mind so we don’t spend time and energy to painstakingly catalogue every thought that crosses our head. And oftentimes the practice of grouping these sets of information can create a negative output, particularly in the grouping of cultural groups. These cultural stereotypes create waves of repercussions that can affect a multitude of things. In this talk, Anastasia Satriyo delves about how the west perceives Asian people can form the self concept of Indonesians.

Bondan Sekaring

Value Investor

Started when watching a movie, the culinary world became somewhat of an answer for bondan’s anxiousness. By presenting one sliced pizza from an economical standpoint, he saw the opportunity and a way to change market perceptions about pizza in Indonesia. In this talk Bondan expresses about the journey he once went through in creating a cultural value in Indonesia inspired by one from America. He tells the story of aculturation, of how a culture is accepted into a foreign society and it is melded and combined until it is something else entirely.

Clara Tunjung

Student

For most people works of art are works that people labor over for the sake of expressing themselves to the general public. But some people make art for the sake of personal satisfaction, private works that exist solely for the artist’s pleasure. For Clara art is a home, a place where she can express her feelings and emotions. And how art can hold precious memories, a time capsule that stores bits and pieces of lessons that can be learned in the future. In this talk, Clara Tunjung talks about her home in art, a place of self expression in a multitude of arts.

Diego Yanuar

Cyclist

Every person has their set indicators on achieving success, some want to be an actor, a banker, a writer, almost all of them involve the idea of achieving a dream. But for Diego instead of an idea of a dream, his success is a celebration of the little things that come his way. In this talk Diego Yanuar tells the story of his soul searching journey, in finding balance and contedness in life. And the lessons he’s learned from each mile he’s travelled.

Hengki Herwanto

Curator

Through their immense love of music, a foundation in Indonesia created an archive of music. Named MMI (Museum Musik Indonesia) it is recognized by the government in the year of 2016 as an official museum and even leading UNESCO to extend their helping hand on the process of digitizing their records. One of the pioneers and the curator of this movement is Hengki Herwanto. By cataloguing and archiving music from different mediums, hengki narrates the story of more than 26.000 records that exist in his bank.

Jimi Multhazam

Musician

In the early 2000s one name rose in the Indonesian rock n roll scene. An act that is associated with flair and flamboyance, with dramatic songwriting and unique expression as he sang with his band “The Upstairs”, that name is Jimi Multhazam. Either through synthesizers or distortion effects, this man has continuously pushed forward in conveying his ideas. Through multiple projects and even his roots as a fine arts student, someone who is inspired by paintings Jimi creates and creates to prove the power of abstractions and compositions. The things that move people to create their distinctive forms of expression.

Mice Cartoon

Cartoonist

Coming from humble beginnings, Mice Cartoon strives to capture the humour inside ordinary happenings, the day to day occurrences that people tend to overlook. For Mice capturing the small things inside society means capturing reality itself. The changes and shifts in a dynamic society, politics and social life is melded together in the form of comic strips and caricatures. In this talk, Mice talks about his creative process and how he captures society in the form of comic strips.