Riar Rizaldi's 'Tellurian Drama' explores Indonesian colonial history through tropical sci-fi

In 2020, artist-filmmaker Riar Rizaldi unveiled his short film 'Tellurian Drama,' which delves into the Malabar mountain range in West Java, Indonesia. This location was home to the world's most powerful radio transmitter, constructed by the Dutch in 1916. Following Indonesia's independence in 1949, the site fell into disuse until a reactivation initiative was proposed in 2020. The film intertwines colonial narratives with indigenous beliefs regarding the mountain's sacredness. Rizaldi's book, priced at $20 and published by Jordan Édition with translations by Fiky Daulay Jordan, features essays, fictional biographies, and stories. A significant element of the work is Drs Munarwan, who suggested in a 1986 article that radio waves could enhance plant growth. The book critiques the exploitation of nature by the Indonesian state while imagining futures rooted in indigenous viewpoints.