Indonesian Collective Houses and Platform Capitalism: Mes56

In a two part series we explore the impacts platform capitalism (corporate social media) is having on art collectives and communities in Indonesia. Platforms such as Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter, while being used by many collectives, activists and others around the world to organise, have serious implications for security, surveillance and control or ownership of content. More broadly the very way in which we socialise and organise has changed considerably. Our very concepts of space, community and relationships are being changed by these platforms. The first part of this series features Wimo, Akiq, and Dito, members of Mes56, an artist community and collective house in Jogjakarta, Indonesia. The members discuss their use of platforms, the effect this is having a well as the connections between the Covid-19 pandemic and platform capitalism. Interviews were conducted as a part of workshops held at Mes56 in June, 2020 by Rangga Purbaya, coordinated by Indymedia's Raymond Grenfell, for Curtin University and RTRFM.