The Department of Language, Arts, and Culture of the UGM Vocational College (SV UGM) organized the “UGM Archive Exhibition 2024.”
This time, the archival exhibition features the theme “Sisa-Sisa Kita: Sampah dalam Catatan yang Terserak di Yogyakarta” (Our Leftovers: Waste in the Records Scattered in Yogyakarta).
The exhibition showcases approximately 200 works in cartography, textual, audiovisual, and archival art.
UGM Archive Exhibition 2024 is open to the public for five days, Nov. 4-8, 2024, at the Iso Reksohadiprodjo Building, Department of Language, Arts, and Cultural Management, SV UGM, from 08:00 AM to 07:00 PM WIB.
Dr. Nuryuda Irdana, Chair of SV UGM’s Department of Language, Arts, and Cultural Management, stated that the archival exhibition is an ongoing activity that regularly highlights themes closely related to real-life issues around the campus.
Two years ago, the theme was “Philosophical Axes,” followed by an exhibition on COVID-19. This year, the theme focuses on waste issues.
“Today, the exhibition presents a theme that is still quite relevant regarding waste. I think everyone feels the impact of waste, especially since the final waste disposal site in Piyungan was closed,” he said during the exhibition opening on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024.
Dr. Irdana noted that the waste issue is a shared concern. This exhibition hopes to serve as a reminder, trigger, and begin the collective awareness that waste can be managed effectively.
“Looking forward, we must consider our roles because this issue involves various aspects and fields, so it cannot be solved by the Environmental Agency alone. Waste management is a shared responsibility,” he emphasized.
Waluyo, an Archives and Information Record Management Program representative, also echoed this sentiment. He regarded this year’s theme as highly relevant to current issues.
“We are proud that the students have chosen this theme. It may not be mainstream, as archival exhibitions usually showcase large heritage items, but this one addresses social issues that students have captured,” he said.
He expressed his appreciation for the event, describing the exhibition as a good tradition. He hopes similar exhibitions from other courses will emerge, not just from the Archival Exhibition course.
“This has been the 12th exhibition since the program was still called the Diploma in Archiving program, and now it’s the Applied Bachelor’s in Archives and Information Record Management Program since 2019. I remember it started with an exhibition themed Dolanan Anak (Children’s Games),” he explained.
Irfan Rizky Darajat, PIC of the UGM Archive Exhibition 2024, added that the ongoing archival exhibition is part of a course, “Exhibition of Archives,” worth four credits.
Through this course, students are tasked with creating an exhibition as part of their work. This process mirrors the archival process, from creation and management to being presented as a public archive or promotional program.
“One form of public program is an exhibition. In this case, students organize or practice what they have learned in theory and apply it in a public event,” he explained.
Regarding the theme of waste, Darajat noted that this exhibition aims to demonstrate that archival documentation can address current events, not just historical ones.
“We can discuss current issues with the public, such as last year’s exhibition on the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s theme is about waste, an issue that affects our daily lives, and it concerns us as individuals, as an academic institution, the government, and the wider community,” he added.
Faisol Fajar Bagus Junaedi, the exhibition committee chair, acknowledged that this year’s theme is highly relevant and timely for the surrounding campus community.
The exhibition seeks to encourage visitors to reflect on how the issue of waste has affected daily life and how these experiences can be documented and archived for future generations.
“Through this exhibition, we hope to raise awareness about the waste problem, a complex cross-sectoral issue in various regions,” he said.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Lintang
Photographer: Firsto