performance art 2019 - philemon mukarno

Philemon Mukarno 2019 Naked Performance Art: Bold Journeys of Freedom

Sacred Nudity Ignites Vulnerability

Philemon Mukarno’s 2019 naked performances across Europe revealed the naked body’s profound power and spiritual depth. Nudity was not mere exposure but an invitation to shared human truth. His bare skin challenged norms, encouraging audiences to shed their fears and confront raw authenticity. Vulnerability transformed into strength, breaking barriers between performer and witness. Each movement carried deep emotional resonance, making nudity a sacred act of healing and connection.​

Dawn Ritual at Sesalač Butoh Retreat

At Serbia’s Sesalač Butoh Retreat, Mukarno began the day enveloped in the fragile light of dawn. Naked and rooted to the earth, his slow, deliberate movements channeled ancient memories. Nudity here was a ritual of communal spirit, a call to transcend shame and embrace shared vulnerability. The dance became a silent conversation, weaving invisible threads between all present. This embodiment of exposed grace gifted participants a sense of collective renewal and empowerment.​

Identity Shattered in The Hague

Mukarno’s journey continued in The Hague at the Project ID In-Between Identities Festival and Hoogtij#57. Performing alongside Ingrid Adriaans and Tess Martens, their naked bodies became firework-like explosions of identity and emotion. Their choreography dismantled social masks, allowing vulnerability to ripple through the audience. Viewers moved from shock to empathy, experiencing the blur between artist and observer. Nakedness became a beautiful rebellion against imposed roles, inviting shared humanity and transformation.​

Lupa’s Mythic Motherhood Unveiled

Among his standout 2019 works was “Lupa,” as Mukarno embodied the Roman she-wolf nursing the city’s founders. His naked form became a sacred vessel of protection, motherhood, and origin stories. For fifteen powerful minutes, each gesture retold ancient myth with living flesh and breath. The performance forged a timeless link, merging divine guidance with raw humanity. Through nakedness, Mukarno celebrated primal strength and the fierce tenderness of care, connecting past and present.​

Rebellion at German and Dutch Venues

In Germany at Im Grunde and Haus Basten, and again in Den Haag’s P.S. – Performance Site, Mukarno’s naked skin caught the light and shadow with equal intensity. His movements balanced surrender with defiance, embodying a prayer for freedom. Stripped bare, he revealed layers of internal wisdom as clothes fell away. This absence paradoxically created a space for full presence, as nudity became a bold act of rebellion and a vessel for spiritual truth. These performances defied convention and transformed space.​

Spirituality Through Unmasked Truth

Throughout 2019, every performance was an invitation into spiritual authenticity. Mukarno’s question echoed loud and clear: what remains when masks and costumes vanish? Naked, he healed fractured souls with profound honesty. His movements, influenced by Butoh’s slow, meditative style, merged body and cosmos. The performances acted as remedies for modern alienation, urging viewers to step into vulnerability and emerge more fully connected to themselves and the universe. This radical honesty was medicine in divided times.​

Festivals Forge Lasting Connections

Participation in festivals such as Project ID allowed Mukarno to expand his explorations of nakedness and identity. Collaborations with artists like Adriaans and Martens enriched the fireworks of expression. Sesalač’s rituals grounded his spirituality deep in earth and community, while Lupa linked mythic history to present day. Collectively, these venues created fertile ground for exposing the sacred in the flesh. Mukarno’s work fostered empathy, dialogue, and new understandings through his unabashed exposure.​

Enduring Legacy of Raw Strength

2019 stands as a milestone year showcasing Mukarno’s mastery of naked performance art. From retreats in Serbia to stages in the Netherlands and Germany, vulnerability emerged as a powerful force. His ritualistic and mythic works, like Lupa, continue to resonate. Through his art, Mukarno reminds audiences that in the rawness of exposed skin lies the sacred. His performances inspire us to walk forward with courage, embracing the divine in our own vulnerability.​