Pasak Bumi

Pasak Bumi is rooted in the understanding that the earth is not merely a space we inhabit, but a living inheritance that has sustained human life long before us. Mountains, soil, and water form part of a balance passed from one generation to another, together with the knowledge and values that shape how we live in relation to nature.

The mountain in this work appears as a “pasak bumi” , a metaphorical pillar that represents stability, balance, and the foundation of life. The figures carrying brooms represent people who do not simply take from the earth, but also carry the responsibility to care for it. The broom, a recurring visual idiom in my practice, is transformed from an everyday working tool into a symbol of care, preservation, and the restoration of balance.

The work draws upon local ways of understanding the reciprocal relationship between people and the land they inhabit. What the earth offers should not simply be consumed; it must also be protected and passed forward.

In the context of Offering, I see this work as both a gesture of gratitude and a reminder: The earth is something we receive, while caring for it is something we must offer in return. Tradition does not have to remain as a relic of the past. It can be transformed into a renewed awareness and practice for confronting the realities of the present.