KBRN, Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), in collaboration with its alumni association Kamipagama, hosted Indonesia’s first-ever Science and Data Art exhibition, held at the Jogja Gallery.

Held as part of FMIPA UGM’s 14th Lustrum (five-year cycle) anniversary celebration, the event, titled Science and Art Melt into a Data Art Exhibition: Indonesia, Life Behind Data, explored the intersection of scientific inquiry and artistic expression through data-driven installations.

Held at Jogja Gallery from August 25 to 30, 2025, the exhibition featured more than 40 cross-disciplinary works by scientists from FMIPA UGM, including professors, lecturers, students, and alumni.

These pieces creatively combined art, science, and data to shed light on national issues, from fiscal sustainability and children's digital culture to public health and economic inequality.

"This exhibition is an activity where art and data are combined into one form of art that can voice the issues and concerns that are happening in our country right now," Kamipagama Chairman Daniel Oscar Baskoro said on Friday, August 29, 2025.

The exhibition aimed to present a new kind of art that is both expressive and grounded in fact. According to Oscar, the combination of art, science, and data creates works with messages that are real and verifiable.

The showcased works addressed a variety of pressing national issues in a fresh and creative way. For example, Lost My Toys reflected on the impact of gadgets on children, while Jalinan Ekspor Nusantara (Archipelago Export Weave) mapped out regional export potential and inequality.

The unique approach of the exhibition offers a new perspective for visitors. As the first of its kind in Indonesia, where all the works were based on data and science, it provides a fresh insight for art enthusiasts and the public.

"Art is a way to express a message and emotion. By combining science and art, the message of the artwork is not just a message, but a real message based on accountable facts, data, and evidence,” Oscar explained.

“The uniqueness of this exhibition is that all the artworks are based on data and science, making it the first in Indonesia and giving art lovers a new perspective,” he added.

This exhibition was praised as a positive disruption to Indonesia's creative landscape by national industry figure Wishnutama Kusubandio.

"We live in an era of data and artificial intelligence; art becomes a language that brings science closer to the community and maintains its relevance to national issues," he said at the opening of the DATA.RT exhibition.

The exhibition’s significance to global scientific trends was highlighted by artist-scientist Michael Hoch from the University of Technology Vienna. "This exhibition shows that Indonesian scientists are relevant to global scientific developments," he said.

"When algorithms, sensors, and numbers are combined with artwork, we are not only seeing a piece of work, but a more open future for research. Art gives the public space to imagine science in a simpler and more emotional way,” he added.

This exhibition transforms scientific knowledge into contemporary art, making complex concepts feel tangible and accessible. By turning research and analysis into installations, visualizations, and paintings, the event brought data to life outside the confines of the laboratory.

Going beyond mere numbers, the featured works revealed the human dimension of science and data. They connected knowledge with daily life through a variety of mediums, from the sound of seismic vibrations to hidden patterns within number sequences, inviting visitors to find personal meaning in the data itself.

UGM Rector Ova Emilia praised the exhibition as a tangible example of successful interdisciplinary collaboration. "For us at the university, this exhibition proves that research doesn't simply have to stay in the laboratory," she stated, adding that art can bring research to life and make it more impactful and understandable for the public.

Gasbadra, a retro-modern electric motorcycle designed with a neo scrambler philosophy that uniquely blended classic aesthetics with efficient, environmentally friendly electric power. (Photo: RRI/Diva Rifdah Rizkia Puspitaningnala).

Muhammad Dzaky Alfarizti, the person in charge (PIC) of the exhibition, found the most captivating piece in Gasbadra, a retro-modern electric motorcycle by artist Andi Darmawan. He said the artwork is compelling because it defies the conventional design of electric vehicles.

"I find it interesting because the structure of electric motorcycles is usually a scooter style and looks like a motorcycle that uses gasoline. With the philosophy of Gasbadra, it can present a different riding experience, which is a retro style but uses electricity. It can even reach speeds of 80 km/h, and with fast charging, it only takes 4 hours to charge,” Dzaky said.

Following the success of the exhibition, Oscar shared his hopes for the future of such events. He expressed a desire to see them become a regular occurrence, expanding beyond Yogyakarta to other cities.

"I hope this kind of exhibition can be held routinely, maybe once a year, and can be in other cities, not just Yogyakarta. In this exhibition, we also invited visitors to interpret data and science through works of art, not just as numbers, but as life stories behind those numbers,” he concluded. ***