Futures of Listening: Water Knowledges from Two Cities

Since July 2024, Forum Lenteng, in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen and Urban Koop—a collective of independent urban experts in Turkey—has initiated a large-scale project titled *Futures of Listening: Water Knowledge from Two Cities*. This experimental sound-based project focuses on a densely populated area intersected by two small rivers in Kalibata Pulo, South Jakarta, with findings that will later be compared to those from a river in Turkey.

July 2024 was dedicated to raising awareness of the project among various policymakers, led by field manager Van Luber Parensen. Simultaneously, a team from Forum Lenteng, consisting of Adi Osman, Dyah Nindyasari, and Helmi Yusron, spearheaded literature research and policy analysis on water issues. The findings were further developed in collaboration with participating artists, who immersed themselves in the community to uncover concrete insights and new speculations. The participating artists—Ananta Wijayarana, Dahlan Khatami, Wahyu Budiman Dasta, Rahmania Nerva, Ilham Natsir, and Tuba Fallopi—brought diverse backgrounds to the project, resulting in varied approaches and perspectives on issues such as water management, population density, rivers, and flooding.

Fieldwork began in August 2024, with all collaborators working closely to assist, critique, and refine the project’s discourse. Weekly intensive meetings on Tuesdays at Forum Lenteng, alongside feedback from project coordinator Hafiz Rancajale, served as a space for sharing impressions and findings from Kalibata Pulo. Collectively processed insights were presented to the University of Aberdeen team leading the project—Professor Suk-Jun Kim, Dr. Christina Ballico, and Dr. David Haro Monteagudo—during a joint workshop held on November 8–10, 2024.

Year
2024

Jakarta, Indonesia