Jason Ranti and Dongker Combine Music and Visual Arts Through "Salah Display"

Kapanlagi.com - The collaboration between Jason Ranti and Dongker may not be surprising given that both are in the same music lane. However, by mid-2025, this collaboration has evolved beyond just music, becoming a crossover of dreams, anxieties, and a love for art and Bandung.

"Because of the song 'Merusak Kesenangan' and the Tau-Tau Festival. In that song, we mention Jason Ranti and at the end of 2024, the Tau-Tau Festival paved the way for us to collaborate," said Delpi Suhariyanto, the guitarist of Dongker.

Their background in art education and personal experiences in the City of Flowers provide a strong foundation for this joint project. The collaboration is realized in an album titled Jason Ranti I Don't Know and I Dongker, which consists of eight songs.

"The song 'Salah Display' tells the story of our version of the romanticism of visual arts, which is actually not that romantic, more about our experiences with the field of visual arts because it turns out that besides music, the intersection of Jason Ranti and Dongker lies in Visual Arts," said Delpi.

1. Opening Single "Salah Display"

Before the album is fully released, Jason and Dongker introduced the opening single titled "Salah Display." This song serves as an introduction to their collaborative spirit, which is also reflected in the installation art at Selasar Sunaryo, Bandung.

"Our meeting was not because of music. But rather an artistic accident that happened to become an album," said Jason Ranti.

The art installation created for the exhibition "Senang Bersamamu" serves as a visual representation of "Salah Display." This art project features appropriation of the legendary work by Jim Supangkat, "Ken Dedes" (1975), with a distinctive touch from Jason Ranti and Dongker.

Their installation work stands out with the use of materials such as styrofoam, Dongker's characteristic masks, shades of pink, and illustrations of loose pants and Samba shoes. All these elements depict each artist's character in a unified visual form.

Interestingly, within the installation, there is a small amplifier that plays the song "Salah Display" exclusively. This version has its own surprise element that can only be heard live at the exhibition location and is not available on digital platforms.

After the installation closes on May 31, 2025, the collaboration between Jason Ranti and Dongker will continue in the form of stage performances. They will perform together at the Tau Tau Festival on May 31 and the Soeka Music Festival in Solo on June 1, 2025.

Jason Ranti's full album I Don't Know and I Dongker is scheduled for release in August 2025. As part of its launch series, Jason and Dongker will also hold a special showcase to introduce their work more widely.

(kpl/far/jje)