BARMEN SIMATUPANG

Jakarta Based Photographer

An elderly man with a cane standing at a crosswalk, wearing a flat cap, trench coat, and trousers. A person is walking away in the background.

Barmen Simatupang is a photographer and visual storyteller whose work explores the intersections of documentary, fine art, and social change. Based in Bekasi, West Java, Indonesia, Barmen’s photography highlights themes of cultural identity, environmental degradation, and the daily realities of marginalized communities.

PROJECT

History Teaches Us Nothing

A black and white photo of a severely damaged, dilapidated building with a damaged roof, exposed beams, and rubble in the foreground, under a cloudy sky.

to The Promised Land: Batak Reburial Tomb

A group of elderly women dressed in colorful traditional attire, standing outdoors on a grassy area in front of a building with large windows and a sloped roof, surrounded by green trees.
Four people in a garden, with plants and foliage around, one sitting on the ground and three standing or kneeling, engaging in gardening or planting activities.

TRAPPED BY PUTAU: THE IDUs IN BONCOS, JAKARTA

Bali Is Not For Sale

Night sky with visible star trails above a landscape with palm trees, a structure with a yellow flag, and illuminated buildings in the distance.

Ijen Crater of Sisyphus

A person walking along a foggy dirt path carrying two large baskets of items on their shoulders.

On Philosophy

A blackboard with a chalk drawing of a house with a triangular roof, windows, stairs, and surrounded by trees, in a classroom or similar setting.

COLLECTION

Since 2003, Barmen has documented the lives of injecting drug users (IDUs) in Jakarta through a long-term collaboration with FHI/UNIKA Atma Jaya Catholic University, bringing visibility to communities often excluded from mainstream narratives. His work has since expanded to include critical issues such as the destruction of Chinese-Indonesian cultural heritage, the impact of mobile technology in rural areas, and ecotourism development in Kalimantan.