PlatiGleam at Borobudur Temple: A Historic First

Standing inside the world's largest Buddhist temple with my PlatiGleam paintings was one of the most humbling and profound moments of my life. The temple is not only an architectural wonder, but also a living testament to humanity’s search for meaning, carved into stone more than a thousand years ago.

To paint at the Temples of Prambanan, Sewu and Borobudur at night - and to bring my artworks into this sacred place felt almost like a dialogue across centuries. The metallic surfaces of PlatiGleam caught the shifting light, and in those fleeting reflections I felt a profound connection between my practice and the temple’s timeless meditation on impermanence.

I never imagined that my art would become part of Borobudur Temple’s long story — a story that began in the 9th century, with over 500 Buddha sculptures and more than five kilometres of carved narratives. To be, perhaps, the first artist to exhibit within its space was not just an honour, but also a responsibility: to show respect, humility, and gratitude for the cultural heritage that made this possible.

Borobudur has always been a place of pilgrimage. For me, it became a pilgrimage of art — a reminder that creation and contemplation are two sides of the same human impulse. My hope is that PlatiGleam added a small spark of light to the ancient stone, and that those who were there felt the same awe that I did.

I’m especially grateful to the team at Injourney Destination, who made this event so special. The opening evening of my exhibition Nyawiji (The Union) gathered 125 guests for a dinner prepared by the incredible chef Vicky Putra (of Bakmi Jowo Mbak Nuning, near Prambanan Temple). Honestly, these were the best dishes I’ve had in Indonesia so far. The night was filled with the sound of a gamelan orchestra, the Kidung Tribangga Dance performed by the Avadhana Dance Studio, and then — finally — the paintings waiting to be unveiled. The evening held one last unforgettable surprise: Borobudur itself was lit up. This never happens except during religious ceremonies, so to see the temple glowing against the night sky felt almost otherworldly. It was a dramatic gesture that made the moment even more meaningful, as if the temple itself had joined the celebration:

Opening of Nyawiji painting exhibition by Avadhana Dance Studio, before unveiling the paintings – click on the image to play the video.

In the second video you can see the audience’s first reaction. At first they stood very still, almost frozen, and I worried they didn’t like the works. Then I realised they were simply absorbing them. Many later told me they felt hypnotised. It struck me deeply — here, people still look at art with such focus and intensity.

The public's first contact with the PlatiGleam paintings – click on the image to play the video.

And after the party ended:

Zen energy, with the sound of crickets.

Some visitors travelled ten long hours on motorbikes to be here.

The exhibition was also widely covered by the media — I’ll share links to some of those articles too: InJourney Destination (English article by Borobudur Temple) Berita Magelang Borobudur News Borobudur Temple Borobudur Temple IGTV Detik (#1 news and media website in Indonesia) Detik TravelHarian Jogjai News Jateng Jateng Press Jawa Pos Radar Kabar BUMN Liputan6 Metro Jateng Metro Siang Metro TV Metro TV Jateng Nusantara TV Pikiran Rakyat Prambanan Temple Radar Jogja Radio Republik Indonesia (State radio) Suarabaru Suarabaru Channel Suara Jateng Tribun Jogja #PlatiGleam #BorobudurTemple #BorobudurExhibition #HistoricFirst #ContemporaryArt #SacredArt #IndonesianHeritage #PrambananTemple #SewuTemple #NightPainting #CulturalDialogue #TimelessArt #ArtAndSpirituality #ArtPilgrimage #GlobalArtJourney #NelsonFerreiraArt #LivingHeritage #BuddhistTemple #ArtExhibition #CrossCenturyDialogue #KidungTribanggaDance #AvadhanaDanceStudio #InJourneyDestination #Nyawiji #TheUnion