Philemon Mukarno performance art 2024
Hof Dortrecht
Performers: Marita Bullmann, Fred Vos, August S. Geerlings, Ienke Kastelein, Frans van Lent, ieke Trinks, Yvo van der Vat, Nico Parlevliet, Yvette Teeuwen, Philemon Mukarno, Annie Abrahams, Yelena Myshko, Steef van Lent, Topp & Dubio.
Seeking Divine Guidance
As the performance continues, the performer enters a state of deep meditation. He prays for guidance and spiritual enlightenment. The chair symbolizes stability and support. His stillness signifies inner peace, and the prayers show his quest for divine understanding.
The Spiritual Message
“Time Circle” conveys a profound spiritual message. It illustrates the journey from oppression to liberation.
Message
The combination of overtone singing and red light purification creates a powerful spiritual experience.
Move
allegory of the human quest for spiritual enlightenment. The film underscores the importance of faith, perseverance, and divine intervention.
Inviting Spiritual Growth
Participants are invited to explore their spiritual paths within their sanctuaries. This includes practices such as journaling, yoga, and silent reflection. The aim is to foster a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s connection to the divine.
Lolas’s Home
‘Lola’s Home’ was a unique exploration of eroticism and the concept of home. The performance left a lasting impression on the audience, making them feel part of the warm, exuberant ball.
The Rebirth of the Man
The souls had returned to his body, and with them, the grace of God. He felt a transformation within his being.
Testament to the power of performance art. By reimagining the human experience through the lens of nudity and vulnerability, it challenges audiences to rethink their perceptions.
By reimagining a beloved fairy tale through the lens of nudity and vulnerability, she challenges audiences to rethink their perceptions.
On the Table
La Pocha Nostra & VestAndPage Alumni Summit at Live Art Ireland, July 2024. Photograph from the VestAndPage workshop by Fenia Kotsopoulou.
Reenacting the Crucifixion
The performance was a vivid reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It also depicted the presence of Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus. The portrayal was both haunting and evocative.
The Legacy of Equinox
The Equinox is not just an event; it’s a legacy etched into the annals of time, a celebration that will continue to unite and inspire, a beacon of equality, freedom, and creativity that shines brightly, guiding us toward a world woven together in harmony.
Concept by Philemon Mukarno during
Art Rotterdam 2024
Performers: Philemon Mukarno & Ilse Husstege – Peters.
Violin: Martine von Gleich
Philemon Mukarno Nude Performance 2024: Crucifix and Spiritual Architecture
The Power of Naked Truth in Performance
In 2024, Philemon Mukarno unveiled a transformative work titled Crucifix and Spiritual Architecture. The performance took place during the prestigious Mentored SUMMIT at Live Art Ireland. This gathering of global artists, co-facilitated by La Pocha Nostra and Vest & Page, created the perfect setting for radical expression. Mukarno’s art dismantled restrictions through the vulnerable power of the nude body. His performance revealed that nakedness can transcend shock value and become a site of sacred introspection.
Nakedness as Spiritual Architecture
Within Crucifix, Mukarno used the nude body as a vessel of spiritual inquiry. Every gesture embodied surrender, endurance, and awakening. His body—stripped of pretense—transformed into what he calls “spiritual architecture.” Through this sacred exposure, he questioned identity, purity, and the meaning of devotion. The bareness of his form evoked both fragility and divine strength, guiding the audience toward a deep emotional recognition of shared human suffering.
The Crucifixion as Radical Reclamation
Mukarno’s interpretation of the crucifixion went far beyond religious iconography. As an Asian artist reperforming a heavily Western spiritual narrative, he enacted a post-colonial critique. His naked body on the cross redefined power and vulnerability, reclaiming symbols historically tied to dominance. Through endurance and pain, Mukarno transformed this icon into a new language of liberation. The body became history’s mirror—bearing scars, questions, and renewal.
Endurance as Sacred Meditation
The 60-minute performance demanded intense physical and psychological focus. Each moment of stillness and strain revealed layers of meaning. Mukarno’s approach to duration transformed pain into ritual. Viewers were drawn into the slow rhythm of breath and silence, invited to witness the boundary between body and spirit dissolve. The audience did not simply watch; they spiritually participated in endurance as meditation.
Radical Pedagogy and Artistic Integrity
Supported by major institutions such as Live Art Ireland and La Pocha Nostra, the performance reaffirmed Mukarno’s integrity as a serious practitioner of body art. The work resonates with the radical pedagogy these institutions promote—questioning colonial narratives and aesthetic hierarchies. Mukarno’s nude performance was not an act of defiance but of devotion to truth, proving that the body remains humanity’s most honest instrument of thought.
The Future of the Naked Body in Art
Philemon Mukarno’s 2024 performance redefined the boundaries of live art. His uncompromising vision, intellectual depth, and spiritual magnetism continue to move audiences worldwide. The naked body, under his guidance, becomes a channel for purification and transformation. Crucifix and Spiritual Architecture will stand as a pivotal moment in contemporary performance art—one where nudity, spirituality, and philosophy converge into a single, transcendent act of presence.