Mirror performance (2017)4h Philemon Mukarno

Entering the Temple: A Fantasy Unveiling

Picture arriving at “Bread & Wine, At the Fjord” on an autumn afternoon. Sunbeams spill across polished wood and the faint scent of ritual fills the air. In the center, Philemon Mukarno stands naked, embodying pure sincerity. The audience enters quietly, anticipation swirling and thickening—preparing for a journey of revelation.

The Ritual of Exposure

As the lights soften, time begins to slow. Every second pulses with possibility. Mukarno’s unclothed body becomes both gateway and guardian, dissolving the border between performer and witness. Fantasy flares—the artist, naked, is both priest and mirror, prompting each gaze to undress personal illusions. The performance unfolds. Four intense hours mark a passage into silent power. You feel your heartbeat amplify in the hush, echoing his vulnerability.

The Breath of Transformation

Suddenly, the venue transforms in imagination. Invisible mirrors catch swirling colors and fractured light, multiplying reflections. Mukarno remains motionless, yet the space vibrates. Ancient spirits seem to murmur through every sigh. Flesh, myth, and energy mingle. Now the naked body is not only exposed—it becomes sacred and whole, elevated and radiant.

In the Mirror, We Meet Ourselves

Hours pass, discomfort melts away. Your reflection grows clearer, stripped of expectations. Mukarno’s sustained presence acts as a gentle spell, disarming all defenses. His body becomes both wound and temple, shadow and light. With every moment, insecurities fade. Vulnerability becomes shared healing, revealing deeper truths beneath surface appearances.

Legacy in Light

Dusk descends as the fantasy wanes. You step out, forever altered. The memory of sacred nakedness lingers—truth shines brightest only in full exposure. Mukarno’s Mirror performance whispers that, freed from illusion, the body becomes a place where divinity dwells.

The Sacred Architecture of Exposure

In October 2017, at Bergen’s renowned PAB OPEN festival, Mukarno presented his Mirror performance. Four hours, repeated over two days, established the work as endurance art. The intimate venue “Bread & Wine, At the Fjord” transformed nudity into a ritual act. In bright daylight, both artist and audience confronted truth, dissolving the theater’s illusions. Thus, exposure became a communal experience, redefining vulnerability with sacred intention.

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The Endurance of Being

The continuous naked performance stretched boundaries of mind and flesh. As minutes blurred, the initial shock disappeared. Mukarno’s time-centered approach compelled real engagement. Nudity was necessary, not decorative. The body became both instrument and altar, revealing that endurance itself creates new spiritual dimensions.

The Architect of Form

Jakarta-born, Rotterdam-based, Mukarno merges European discipline with Asian spirituality. With degrees from the Royal Conservatory and Codarts, he blends music composition, Butoh movement, and performance art. Every work reveals intentionality and emotional resonance. His philosophy celebrates minimal means, expressing maximum depth with every gesture.

Nudity as Spiritual Language

For Mukarno, the naked body becomes a prayer—truth articulated without words. Stripped of context and costume, physical presence acquires immediacy. Social conventions are questioned, and emotional barriers fall away. The performance requires the audience and artist to undress on multiple levels, allowing nakedness to expose and purify.

The Body as Sacred Microcosm

Mukarno envisions the body as a universe—sacred, fragile, and essential. Performing nude, he transforms flesh into sanctuary. Mirror foregrounds this vision, making the body an offering and inviting reflection. The act is not about provocation, but purification. Each exposed moment honors impermanence and divinity.

Reflection and the Concept of the Mirror

Mirror works as both image and idea. Mukarno’s performance directs energy inward, removing spectacle and irony. The audience meets their own fears and hopes, not just an artistic image. Through vulnerability, the performer becomes a living mirror, reflecting each person’s fragile humanity.

Stillness and Composition in Motion

Endurance reveals profound stillness. Every intentional movement or pause is a creative act. Mukarno uses silence and duration as compositional tools, orchestrating rhythm within strain and breath. The minimalist approach amplifies presence, turning physicality into a symphony of awareness and focus.

The Sound of Silence and Naked Presence

Within the performance, sound emerges from every subtle gesture. Mukarno’s compositional skills shape these sonic events—the echo of breath, the hum of tension. Silence hugs the naked body, creating space for reflection. The exposed form is no longer taboo—it is a resonant vessel for pure existence.

The Temple of the Body

At the heart of Mirror is the idea of body as temple. Naked on stage for hours, Mukarno surrenders ego and material attachment. The act reclaims nudity as spiritual truth. By rejecting irony, he invokes reverence. The bare stage becomes sanctified; nudity becomes ritual and offering.

A Global Synthesis of Vulnerability

East meets West in Mukarno’s unified language of vulnerability. His work transforms nudity from provocation to meditation. Mirror elevates endurance, turning performance into personal transcendence. He writes with flesh and breath, channeling truths beyond words.

The Legacy of Mirror

Mirror crystallizes Mukarno’s artistic journey. The naked body stands as his instrument of ultimate honesty. The legacy is fearless authenticity—inviting all to shed illusion and witness truth. Art and life merge in Mirror, leaving no barrier between the two.