Agung Nugroho Widhi

Train Watchers DV, 60'', 2009 Indonesia

Tell me something about you and artistic background.
I live and work in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. I studied photography in Indonesia Institute of The Arts, Yogyakarta and part of an artist collective who also run an artist initiative space called Ruang MES 56. Beside that, I also produce and manage short video compilation called Video Battle with my two other colleagues.

Tell me about this film, initial idea and work process.
I made this video on March 2009 during a workshop with The Oneminutes; City Oneminutes. The basic idea was exactly the same with the workshop itself, about a city in one minute (duration), then I focused on public spaces and transportation in the city where I've been living. I find it interesting to see and observe the place where this video was taken, or how that place has developed or transformed "its function" into something that might be incidental or unpredictable. It's funny in a way, and I also amazed to see how those people spend their leisure time just to see trains passing by (with their children). Well, for me video or photography is product of artistic fiction and (or) medium I've used to respond the situation and environment around me.

Are you working on new projects at the moment?
I'm preparing for my solo exhibition which will be held on May this year. I'll show a photo series/ project that I've worked in the last two years, "Artificially Natural". Apart from that, recently I got a grant from Asia-Europe Foundation to continue my project which I started on my participation at Asia-Europe Emerging Photographers Forum last year. I concentrate my mind on the first one at the moment, for my solo exhibition. I'll be busy this year :-p

Do you have specific influences in your film/video making?
I don't really know about those specific influences. I like the works from some visual artists, such as Bill Viola, Doug Aitken, Mark Dion and Hiroshi Sugimoto, but I don't know whether they influence me or not :-) I think that my biggest influences comes from the place or (social-cultural) environment where I've lived.

Why is it important for you to show your film/video in a festival?
It's very important for me to do that, because I want my works to be seen by a wider audience. I think every artist wants that. A festival or any other art events and publications are the ways to make that happen. It's ridiculous to just keep your work under the pillow, isn't it?

What role do you think Oslo Screen Festival should have to promote your work?
I don't know or heard a lot about Oslo Screen Festival actually. I just read from its website. I think it's done good so far, because apart from the festival, Oslo Screen Fest. as an institution or organizer can make another screening programs which cooperate with other institutions. It's very good to keep doing or continue that thing on and on apart from the fest. And I just wonder that it's not such a bad idea as well, that in the future Oslo Screen Fest. can use its website as a kind of online database for video works which previously presented at the fest. So everybody from around the globe (still) can access it to see the works which has been presented at the fest.