Survive & Protect the Virus (2021) '15 - Philemon Mukarno

Survive and Protect: Philemon Mukarno’s Sacred Nudity in Amsterdam

The Anatomy of Crisis and Transcendence

In 2020, at the height of global uncertainty, Philemon Mukarno staged “Survive & Protect the Virus” in Amsterdam. This daring performance responded directly to the pandemic’s wide-reaching impact. Cultural spaces had shuttered, and fear permeated daily life. Mukarno’s work bridged his Indonesian roots and European avant-garde aesthetics, creating a spiritual dialogue between East and West. Performing nude on Amsterdam’s symbolic stage elevated societal reckoning to a universal level. This act of radical presence transformed collective trauma into a ritual of survival, urging audiences to see vulnerability as the foundation of resilience.

The Body as Sacred Architecture

Nudity in Mukarno’s work is far more than physical exposure; it is a conscious spiritual architecture. The naked body becomes a living temple, embodying ancestral memory and environmental connections. This concept, deeply rooted in ancient Asian spirituality, elevates the human form to sacred status. Undressing is a deliberate act of defiance—shedding societal controls and confronting body shame intensified during the pandemic. The performance demands full audience immersion, shifting from voyeurism to sacred witnessing. The naked form signals radical honesty and spiritual repair, inviting viewers into an intimate journey of healing and self-acceptance.

The Shadowbody

Mukarno integrates the notion of the “Shadowbody,” inspired by Jungian psychology and expressed through Japanese Butoh dance. This concept represents the suppressed, dark aspects of the collective psyche often avoided in mainstream culture. Through Butoh’s raw, visceral movements, Mukarno charts internal landscapes fractured by pandemic fears and social isolation. His academic discipline in music composition provides rigorous form, controlling what could otherwise be chaotic emotional expression. This fusion creates a concentrated, monolithic presence where fear, vulnerability, and strength coexist, visually narrating an arduous journey toward spiritual integration.

A Pandemic Requiem and Ritual

“Survive & Protect” serves as a ritualistic confrontation with the invisible threat of COVID-19. Mukarno’s bare presence reclaims the body from anxieties enforced by isolation and technological mediation. The shedding of clothes symbolizes purification and transformation, turning vulnerability into spiritual armor. The performance asserts that true protection derives not from external barriers but from profound internal coherence. By embodying both spirit and flesh, Mukarno redefines survival as a sacred, embodied practice. His work transcends simple resistance, becoming a communal meditation on resilience that fosters connection despite enforced physical distance.

Legacy of Uncompromising Spirituality

Mukarno’s performance stands as a testament to the power of radical vulnerability framed within deep spirituality. The artist refuses to reduce nudity to shock or spectacle, insisting it serve as a vehicle for profound cultural and personal healing. His unwavering artistic rigor and institutional support amplify the work’s cultural significance. By calling the naked body “Sacred Architecture,” Mukarno reclaims a space for the vulnerable self anchored in ancestral wisdom. This performance reorients how audiences perceive their bodies and spirits in crisis, offering an intimate, transformative encounter with resilience and authenticity.