The Unconventional Stage

The BUT Film Festival is a well-known event. It takes place in Breda, Netherlands. The festival is known for showing B-movies, Underground, and Trash films. These films are often extreme in both content and imagery. They are meant to challenge accepted morality. The festival is a non-profit initiative. Its main goal is to promote artistic video and film. This environment is perfect for a work like “Reign.” The festival’s ethos encourages boundary-breaking works.  

The Stage for Bizarre and Brutal

The Performance Night is held on August 28, 2025. It is an evening of “absurdity, guts, and raw expression”. This description is critical. It sets the tone for the audience. Patrons are prepared for something challenging. Instead of viewing the act as shocking, they expect an artistic statement. The festival provides a permissive context for the performance. This environment is the essential first step. It allows the work to be understood fully.  

A “Last Supper” for Artistic Liberation

The program is titled “The Last Supper”. This name is highly significant. Other films in the program explore Christian themes. These works celebrate faith and divine sacrifice. Mukarno’s performance, in contrast, offers a different kind of sacrifice. It is about shedding a past self. The title frames the work. It hints at a spiritual reckoning. This provides a deep religious subtext. The program title adds immediate thematic weight.  

An Allegory of Spiritual Suffocation

The performance depicts a profound struggle. It is an allegory of spiritual distress. The artist is enclosed in a sealed plastic bag. He is suffocating inside. The bag represents rigid beliefs and dogmas. It initially provided security. Over time, it restricts spiritual growth. It becomes a source of confinement.

The Weight of a Rigid Belief System

The physical act of suffocation is a direct metaphor. It represents the psychological anguish of a suppressed faith. The artist’s struggle to breathe mirrors his attempts to question his beliefs. Rigid doctrines stifle his exploration. The physical distress makes the spiritual pain visible. It allows the audience to feel the artist’s struggle. This elevates the work beyond a simple spectacle. It becomes a deeply empathetic piece of body art. The performance becomes a shared experience.

The Turmoil of Suppressed Emotions

The performance portrays a “broken development”. The artist’s youth was “cut off by dogmas”. He is bleeding and naked inside the bag. This highlights the immense vulnerability. It also emphasizes the pain of the experience. The artist feels a fear of rejection. He feels guilt and shame. The nudity and bleeding amplify this torment. They signify internal wounds. The body becomes a canvas for this trauma. The performance is a painful path to freedom.

The Unveiling of Dogma

The performance explores the internal marks of dogma. The artist has “uprooted himself from guilt and expectations”. He has shed pre-programmed patterns. The dogma, however, “stick to skin and hair”. They have become part of him. The work is a process of expelling them.

Writing Dogma, Shedding Guilt

The protagonist writes on the bag’s walls. He uses red letters. These letters are the texts of his dogmas [User Query]. This act externalizes his internal conflict. It puts his beliefs on the outside. The letters then “trickle away”. The increased heat melts them. This suggests a painful and forceful expulsion. The letters look like “spilled blood and forbidden tears”. This connects the physical and psychological pain. It symbolizes the emotional cost of liberation. The process is one of cleansing.

A Liberation from Biblical Prohibition

This act re-contextualizes a religious prohibition. The Bible forbids body markings and tattoos. Some interpretations state the body is a temple. It should not be defiled. The performance subverts this idea. Mukarno uses his body to remove marks. He is not defiling a temple. He is liberating it from psychological imprints. The naked body is pure. It is a blank slate. The performance redefines sacredness. It says true spirituality lies in liberation.

The Body as a Canvas for Liberation

Nudity is a central part of this performance. It is not used for shock value. Instead, it is a key artistic tool. The artist uses his naked body to communicate. The absence of clothes makes him completely vulnerable. This act of exposure is the first step. It is the beginning of his self-repair.

A Naked Act of Authenticity

Philemon Mukarno’s work is often vulnerable and sensual. He uses his naked body to explore the human structure. Nudity helps him “destroy frameworks”. These frameworks have warped his self-image. He wants to “repair and prepare for a new beginning”. Nudity also connects the artist and audience. It encourages conversations about body positivity. This public nakedness is a form of radical honesty. It is a statement of authenticity.  

A Relaxed and Open-Minded Culture

The Netherlands has no specific laws against public nudity. Nudism is accepted in designated areas. Dutch culture is widely known for its open-minded attitudes. This permissive environment is a vital factor. It allows the performance to be staged legally. The audience can focus on the art. The work is not overshadowed by controversy. The cultural and legal context of Breda is a silent collaborator. It enables the full impact of the performance.  

Philemon Mukarno: Composer of Spirit and Flesh

The artist’s background is deeply relevant. Philemon Mukarno is a multidisciplinary artist. He is a composer, filmmaker, and performer. He was born in Indonesia and is now based in Rotterdam. He has an uncompromising and unique style. His work has a “monolithic aura”.  

A Journey from Jakarta to Rotterdam

Mukarno studied Japanese Butoh Dance. This training is evident in “Reign.” Butoh emphasizes slow, controlled movements. It explores themes of life and death. The performance’s slow struggle inside the bag mirrors this style. He is also an acclaimed composer. His work has a “strict control of Form”. This suggests the performance’s soundscape is also deliberate. The sound of his heavy breathing is part of the composition.  

The Artist’s Ongoing Investigation

Mukarno’s other works confirm the themes of “Reign.” He explores religious and gender oppression. His piece “Dragging Stones” shows the struggle of queer people. The performance is not a one-time event. It is part of a larger artistic dialogue. It is a continuation of a personal journey. The performance is a new chapter. It explores identity, trauma, and liberation. It is a consistent investigation.  

The Resilient Spirit: A Hopeful Conclusion

The performance’s ending is a moment of profound transformation. The protagonist summons the strength to “break free”. He tears the plastic bag. The act is painful. However, “a rush of fresh air fills your lungs”. This is a beautiful metaphor. It represents a spiritual rebirth. A renewed sense of freedom fills his spirit [User Query]. The “newly acquired look… cannot spoil”. This suggests the truth discovered is pure. The truth is resilient and durable. It contrasts with the easily dissolved dogmas. The performance ends with a “glimmer of hope”. It shows that a “new beginning is possible”. The journey of liberation is challenging. However, it is a path to authenticity.