While his comical, often surreal, yet courageously political works have left their mark internationally, it is his monumental creation Voyage-Trokomod that stands out as an unforgettable artistic vision: one that illuminates the idea of a borderless world and continues to resonate a decade since its premiere.

Unveiled at the Venice Biennale Arte 2015, Heri represented the country in the Indonesia Pavilion produced by Restu Imansari Kusumaningrum. His mixed media installation harmonized seamlessly with the vision of legendary curator Okwui Enwezor, who titled the 56^th biennale “All the World’s Futures”.

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“An artist must play a role in establishing the world constellation,” says Heri, for whom that constellation is a world without borders, a world with no space for hegemonic powers.

Through his art, he speaks up and speaks out, likening himself to Semar, the principal clown character in Javanese mythology, a demigod who audaciously dares to challenge the gods. In his typical joking manner, Heri once said, “I am Semar,” before adding, “in my previous life I was a dinosaur”.

The biennale 10 years ago was not his first encounter with Venice’s prestigious visual arts fair.

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