Biography

Elia Nurvista is an interdisciplinary artist and founder of Bakudapan Food Study Group, which investigates the meaning of food in socio-political and cultural context on a local and global scale. Often through collaborative projects, she reflects on concepts within food discourse related to globalisation, material extraction, exploitation and exotification. The artist analyses these economic and dietary constructs in order to expose their prejudiced origins and contradict the ethical neutrality often associated with food preferences. Through a variety of mixed media installations, she also explores how food systems have become increasingly global and exploitative, either as sites of production or consumption. Her work aims to reveal the hidden hand controlling our daily food intake and the processes that allow or compel us to consume, which are usually taken for granted

Nurvista’s work has been the subject of solo exhibitions including Reconstructed Biotope, Cemeti Institute for Art and Society, Yogyakarta (2021); Fruchtlinge, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (2019); Adiboga Wonoasri, Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta (2013); and Story of Thread, Koganecho Bazaar Yokohama (2012). She has also participated in group shows, including at SPACE AFROASIA, Seoul (2022); Vargas Museum, Manila; Asia Culture Centre, Gwangju; Kunstverein Amrum, Germany (2021); HOW Art Museum, Shanghai (2020); Dhaka Art Summit (2020); Singapore Biennale (with Bakudapan) (2019); Karachi Biennale (2019); Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta (2019); The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane (2018); National Museum of Modern Contemporary Art, Seoul (2018); and Jogja Biennale 13 (2015).

Her curatorial projects include Indonesia with Oceania, Jogja Biennale Equator XVI, (2021); Taipei Performing Arts Center (with Transient Collective) (2020); and Struggles for Sovereignty (initiated by Bakudapan and Bodies of Power/ Power for Bodies), Yogyakarta (2020).

Hers was among nine projects shortlisted for Visible Award 2017 for socially engaged practices. She has most recently held residencies at Jan van Eyck artist in residency, Maastricht (2021-2022) and Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (2018-2019).

She received a BFA from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (2010).

Nurvista was born in 1983, Yogyakarta, where she continues to live and work.

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