The commemoration of National Wayang Day, the Master’s Program in Performing Arts and Visual Arts Studies (PSPSR), Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), with its research center CEMPALA (Center for Multidisciplinary Expertise in Arts, Language, and Anthropology), held an international event titled “Wayang World 2025: Exploring Global Puppet Traditions.” The event took place on Friday, 7th November 2025, at Ullen Sentalu Museum, Sleman, and was also broadcast online via live streaming.
Embracing the concept of exhibition, discussion, and performance, Wayang World 2025 brought together collaborations among artists, scholars, and cultural institutions from various countries. The event served as a meeting space for art enthusiasts and researchers to explore the diversity of global puppetry traditions while strengthening international academic and cultural networks.
Visitors, during the “On-site Photo Exhibition & Talk” session, were treated to a photo exhibition featuring shadow puppets from Greece, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia. The discussion featured Constantine Korsovitis as the speaker, Jason Karainadros as the contributor, and was moderated by Dr. G.R. Lono L. Simatupang, M.A. The bilingual session (Indonesian–English) took place from 09.00 to 12.00 WIB at the Ullen Sentalu Museum.
Meanwhile, the “Online Performance & Talk” showcased diverse forms of puppetry from around the world, including Tholpavakoothu Ramayana by Matthew Cohen and Rahul Kunathara, Wayang Menak Dewi Rengganis by Ki Sukarno Widiprayitno, Wayang Menak Iskandar Zulkarnain by Rudy Wiratama, and Wayang Menak Ampak² Supit Urang by Dimas Al Hafid. Other performances such as Menak Persian Story by Yasmin Mazloom, Moondance Puppetry by Sequoia Erickson, and Wayang Sutasoma by Nyoman Sedana further enriched this cross-cultural dialogue through the art of performance.
The event was organized through the collaboration of CEMPALA, PSPSR Graduate School of UGM, Yale University Art Gallery, Museum Sonobudoyo, Museum Panji, Ullen Sentalu Museum, University of Connecticut (UCONN), University of Kent (UKJGS), and several national and international art institutions and cultural communities.
Dr. Rr. Paramitha Dyah Fitriasari, M.Hum., the event coordinator said Wayang World 2025 is expected to serve as a platform to foster public interest and understanding of the philosophical values within wayang performances while encouraging cross-cultural research in traditional performing arts.
“Wayang is not only Indonesia’s cultural heritage but also part of a global cultural dialogue. Through Wayang World 2025, we open a space for knowledge exchange and mutual appreciation across nations for puppetry traditions,” she said.
Writer: Asti Rahmaningrum