"The latest iteration, at SaRanG in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in June and July of 2025, was called KETOK Studio, its name suggesting an invitation to visitors to activate the space through sound: Ketok means "to knock" or "to beat" in Bahasa Indonesia. Fittingly, ketok also means "to appear," and the phrase jiwa kitok means "the revealed soul," alluding to Togar's belief in sound's subtle power of revelation."
"Inside KETOK Studio, one side of the floor was covered in a blue-and-yellow carpet dotted with inviting beanbag chairs, while the other side was scattered with quirky percussion instruments ranging from ocean drums to sruti boxes and gongs. The space was replete with the repetitive knocking of drumsticks, the undulating rhythm of Qur'anic prayers, and the gut-wrenching murmur of lamentation coming from That is not still (Sesuatu yang tidak berdiam), a 2024 video work about Indonesia's diverse soundscape."
KETOK Studio is the June–July 2025 iteration of a sonic-installation series that began in 2020 as OK Studio. The series traveled internationally, including the Fifty-Eighth Carnegie International in Pittsburgh (2022), and developed from a 2020 residency at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. KETOK Studio at SaRanG in Yogyakarta invites visitors to activate a sound-filled space; ketok means 'to knock' or 'to beat' and also 'to appear,' suggesting revelation. One side of the room featured a carpet and beanbags; the other displayed percussion instruments. The space combined recorded prayers, a 2024 video work, and live activations, prompting reflection on sound’s materiality, public/private roles, and sociopolitical shaping.
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