The ALiEN, The Art Monster, and The Haram One
A melodramatic exaggeration of my identity. These characters aim to dimensionalize my narrative as a form of reclamation, while subsequently demystifying the oversimplification of the minority narrative trope that’s often romanticized to fit the mold of “feel good diversity”
The ALiEN, 2019.
Music: Lancaran Kandhang Bubrah, Slendra Sanga by Gamelan Nyai Saraswati (Retrieved via Youtube)
Salam kenal semuanya! Saya adalah seorang Alien. Saya datang dari negri jauh di timur, bernama Negara Kesatuan Republik Indonesia. Sebagai seorang Alien, kerap kali saya merasa saya tidak bisa beradaptasi terhadap lingkungan dan orang orang sekitar saya. Terkadang, saya merasa biar seberapa lamapun saya tinggal di negeri aneh ini, saya tidak akan bisa menjadi seperti orang orang sekitar saya. Maka dari itu, saya adalah, dan akan selalu menjadi, seorang alien.
Nice to meet you all! I am an Alien. I came from a faraway land in the east called The Unity of The Republic of Indonesia. Sometimes, I feel that I cannot adapt to my surroundings and the people around me. Often, I feel like no matter how long I live in this strange land I will never be like the people around me. Therefore, I am, and will always be, an Alien.
The Art Monster, 2019.
Blarh blargh blagablargh babalargh blargh blablagh blarghbagalaragh bllrghhhhhhh. Blagargh blagagh blargh blargh blergh blurgh blargh blereblargh. blarghargh, blablargh
Greetings! I am the art monster from planet Gougginheim! My aspiration is to embody my art so as to make no distinction between my work and my reality. I want to be liberated, i want to be my art. My favorite meal is the flesh of techies and gentrifiers, and i am here in the bay to eat every single techbros in silicon valley!! Yummmyummyummmm!!
The Haram One, 2019.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
(Al-Baqara 255)
Assalamualaikum Warrahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Hello brothers and sisters! I am The Haram One. I am a queer trans muslim living in shame. From such a young age i’ve been told that I have to compromise between my faith and my true self. Now, as someone who have chosen to claim both aspects of the opposing sides, I live in agony. I believe that no matter how much i say “astagfirullah,” even when the phrase is written all over my trans muslim body, I am still condemned.