The Power of Bibitulit
Metal Drum, Horn Speakers, and Arduino
2017
Vox Populi, Vox Bibitulit is an installation that explores the power of collective voice as a form of political expression in contemporary Indonesian society. Inspired by the mass demonstrations in Jakarta in 2016, this work represents how the voice of the masses can act both as a tool of resistance and as a new source of pressure within socio-political dynamics.
The installation features multiple horn speakers mounted on scaffolding attached to a pickup truck bed, with most directed at a single chair placed at the center. A microcontroller system plays loud, randomized sounds, creating an intense sonic atmosphere. The seated viewer cannot escape the escalating noise, forming an experience that is both physical and psychological.
Rather than active interaction, the piece creates emotional engagement: the audience becomes the authority subjected to the overwhelming collective voice. It questions whether they are participants in the soundscape, or merely targets.