Introduction

Alwan Brilian (b. Yogyakarta) identifies as an art worker that reflects his daily practices of researching, organizing, curating, writing, and managing in the arts. He completed his undergraduate studies in Cultural Anthropology at Universitas Gadjah Mada (Yogyakarta, Indonesia) in 2015, and his master’s program in Cultural Resource Studies at Kanazawa University (Kanazawa, Japan) in 2024. His thesis, titled Imagination and Negotiation of the Cosmological Axis of Yogyakarta: Living with Heritage in the Royal Court’s Fortification in Kampung Triman, explores issues related to heritage, urban neighborhood dynamics, as well as local rumors and tensions. He is interested in the intersection of material culture, cultural heritage, archives, and local communities.