Bagus Pandega's 'Daya Benda' at Swiss Institute explores power, industry, and spirituality through sculpture.

Bagus Pandega's inaugural institutional exhibition outside Asia, titled 'Daya Benda,' is currently on display at the Swiss Institute in New York until January 4. This event, organized in partnership with Kunsthalle Basel, which is simultaneously showcasing 'Sumber Alam,' features three sculptural installations spread over two floors and the rooftop. One highlight is 'Putar Petir Racing Team' (2025), a custom drag-racing bike made from repurposed parts, set against a seafoam green backdrop, accompanied by merchandise-inspired pieces like bumper stickers and racing jerseys. On the lower level, 'Hyperpnea Green' (2024) presents mineral specimens in jars linked to tubing that reacts to viewers' breaths, while a potted tree basks under a magenta light. 'Anim Wraksa' (2025), a twig coated in nickel within an electrolyte solution, connects these installations by addressing the environmental and social impacts of nickel extraction in Indonesia since the early 1900s. The exhibition's titles cleverly mix Indonesian terms for power, nature, source, and object, underscoring themes of postcolonial culture and industry. Accompanying videos feature Pandega's bike racing in Indonesia, paired with TikTok clips and an electronic soundtrack, inviting viewers to perceive the bike as a prototype, framing the exhibition as a tribute to experimentation and innovation.