Institution-Making on Moving Ground: A Case Study of 900mdpl (2017–2022)

This publication offers a self-reflective enquiry into the evolving practices of 900mdpl, a small yet multifaceted institution encompassing an international residency, a biennial exhibition, a traveling transient museum, a series of public programs, and multiple publications. Rooted in Kaliurang, Indonesia, the study examines how the situated cultural values of this volcanic village inform its decolonial approaches to institution-making. Central to this research is laku—a generative, embodied Javanese mode of learning—proposed as an alternative methodology. By grounding its analysis in laku, the essay develops a new vocabulary for understanding the intricate entanglements between local cultural values, contemporary art, and curatorial practice.