This project was done in 2008 when I participated in Cemeti Art House’s residency program entitled Landing Soon.

Started with wondering why this title of the residency is Landing Soon? This project invited two Artists from Indonesia and from The Netherland, they worked and stay at the same house for 3 months in Yogyakarta (Jogja).

I am living in Jogja, so it was a challenge for me to see my own city where I work and live everyday almost without distance. I imagined myself as if I was a stranger, a foreigner, a visitor as the other artist who come to the Yogyakarta city. Come to my mind that some foreigners that just arrive in Jogja are surprised that the city is low and we have what so called “rubber time”.

Who will be landing? My imagination came to the quote “The Eagle Has Landed!” of the Apollo 11 with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, humans landed on the moon! An expansion?
Landing Soon? Are they tried to come back again ? What should we do?

It was the trigger behind the idea of Belanda Sudah Dekat!
Started with this idea I invited some communities in Jogja to participate in this project, and told this idea about Belanda sudah dekat! The Dutch is approaching! (I made the opposite of a common joke-mostly in Java, if you are in a hurry or panic then I will say; ” relax , calm down.. the Dutch still faraway..”) And asked them to interpret this phrase then pose carrying water gun. Most of them are interested and want to pose for my camera, they even gave some ideas, such as; wearing uniform that they have from their community, to pose and to act.