ROH is pleased to share images of Bagus Pandega’s solo exhibition, Daya Benda,
at Swiss Institute (SI), New York.
Bagus Pandega’s (b. 1985, Jakarta, Indonesia) work ingeniously addresses the extraction of natural resources in Indonesia—from the 16th-century spice trade in nutmeg and cloves, to the palm oil industry, to the contemporary global demand for nickel used in batteries for computers, phones, and electric vehicles.
Adopting a do-it-yourself, hacker approach, Pandega constructs modular systems using readily available, everyday technologies, natural materials such as plants and rare earth minerals, and musical instruments. These responsive installations are programmed to trigger mechanical and chemical reactions that generate sound or movement, influenced by changes in hyperlocal conditions such as human presence in the space.
The exhibition is organized in collaboration with Kunsthalle Basel and Director and Chief Curator Mohamed Almusibli, where the artist’s exhibition Sumber Alam is on view concurrently till 16 November 2025. The titles reference two Indonesian idioms referring to natural resources, still life, and object power.
Daya Benda is curated by Stefanie Hessler, Director of Swiss Institute. Thanks to Alison Coplan, Chief Curator, and KJ Abudu, Associate Curator, for production support.
ROH would like to thank Bea Camacho, Michelangelo and Lourdes Samson, James Amberson, Kenneth Tan, Margaret Wang, Sigit Nugroho, and Winfred Hutabarat for their support.
Bagus Pandega
Daya Benda
30 September 2025 - 4 January 2026
Swiss Institute (SI)
38 St Marks Pl,
New York, US
Photography by Daniel Pérez
Courtesy of Swiss Institute
Born 1985, Jakarta, Indonesia
Lives and works in Bandung, Indonesia
Working primarily through the medium of installation, Bagus Pandega often challenges pre-conditioned relationships between objects and its viewer. In his works, Pandega assembles various electronic systems as ‘modules’ and explores objects such as voice recorders, cassette and record players, lamps and electronic circuit boards— among others— to construct his works. Many of his artworks become activated through the interaction of movement, sound and light.
Pandega received his Bachelor of Arts, majoring in sculpture and his Master of Fine Arts from the Faculty of Art and Design, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia in 2008 and 2015 respectively. His special solo project Stomata is currently on view at Esplanade Concourse, Singapore (2024-25). Pandega’s selected solo exhibitions include 〇 at ROH, Jakarta, Indonesia (2024); A Pervasive Rhythm at Yamamoto Gendai, Tokyo, Japan (2018); Random Black at ROH Projects, Jakarta, Indonesia (2016); and A Monument That Tells Anything at Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2015). Selected group exhibitions include Bangkok Art Biennale: Nurture Gaia at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Bangkok, Thailand (2024); Frieze Seoul, COEX Convention & Exhibition Center, Seoul, South Korea (2022); WAGIWAGI at documenta fifteen, Hübner areal, Kassel, Germany (2022); Declaring Distance: Bandung — Leiden at Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung, Indonesia (2022); AAAAHHH!!! Paris Internationale in Paris, France (2018), all featuring her collaborative work with Kei Imazu; Art Basel Hong Kong with ROH, Hong Kong (2023); The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial at QAGOMA, Brisbane, Australia (2021-22); Tiger Orchid presented at Art Basel OVR: Miami Beach (2020); Condo London at Project Native Informant, London, UK (2020); Ripples: Continuity in Indonesian Contemporary Art at Taipei Dangdai, Taipei, Taiwan (2019); Distorted Alteration at Project Fulfill, Taipei, Taiwan (2018); Amsterdam Light Festival, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (2017); and Clandestine Transgression at Art Basel Hong Kong: Discoveries with ROH Projects, Hong Kong (2015). After winning third place at Bandung Contemporary Art Awards #2, Pandega completed his first residency at Le Centre Intermondes, La Rochelle, France in 2012. A nominee of the 2016 Sovereign Art Prize, Pandega had also collaborated with Adi Purnomo and Irwan Ahmett in presenting Freedome, Indonesia Pavilion at the London Design Biennale: Utopia by Design in 2016.
View Artist