PULANG began on 15 April 2015 at ‘Point Zero’, a cross road at 0.0 Km in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
The work relies on the engagement and activation of willing participants. The first four participants gather at Point Zero and are given one of the four backpacks each to wear. The colours of the backpacks correspond to ancient symbolism of the Hindu compass. Each participant faces the direction the colour their backpack represents before setting off to their respective homes with their backpacks.
Inscribed on the backpacks are instructions to open the backpack, put on the costume that unfolds from the pack and then photograph themselves in front of their home. After posting this photograph on the PULANG website, recipients are asked to pass the backpack on to a person they can trust to take care of the backpack and to continue this ritual to keep the pack travelling.
The backpacks will travel without a particular purpose, other than to accompany numerous recipients on their journey home. These journeys will generate a web of images and inform a newly imagined way of mapping and ask us to consider the subjectivity of orientation and our sense of direction.
Black -North or Kaja where Wishnu lives.
White – East or Kangin where Iswara lives.
Red – South or Kelod where Brahma lives.
Yellow – West or Kauh –where Mahadewa lives.
Across diverse cultures and traditions these four colours bind our ancient histories and illuminate similarities amongst cultures created in isolation from one another. These colours clothe us in flesh of black, white, red and yellow.