BARMEN
Jakarta Based Photographer
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.
HISTORY TEACHES US NOTHING
History Teaches Us Nothing
(*Inspired by Sting’s song “History Will Teach Us Nothing” from Nothing Like the Sun)
The demolition of the historic Kapitan Cina house in Karawaci, Tangerang City, reflects more than the loss of a physical structure—it reveals a narrow mindset in how our nation values history.
In a country where access to quality education remains limited, the destruction of heritage sites is becoming disturbingly common. The government’s decision to erase this 18th-century home, a relic of Batavia’s multi-racial past, in favor of a shopping mall, underscores a troubling belief: that history is negotiable, secondary, or even irrelevant to nation-building.
When historical memory is treated as disposable, it’s no surprise that vital stories and cultural identities are lost—brick by brick.
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.