Artistic Studies

Andi Ryan Kusuma, Nevandrie Rozan

The development of social media has brought significant changes to contemporary visual art practices, particularly in the formation of discussion spaces between artists and audiences within digital environments. This study aims to analyze the role of social media in shaping patterns of interaction, artwork distribution, and public participation within the contemporary visual art ecosystem. The research employs a descriptive qualitative approach through the analysis of digital interactions on platforms such as Instagram, Twitter/X, and virtual exhibition spaces including Google Arts and MoMA Online. Data were collected through observations of artwork posts, comment sections, online discussions, and forms of communication between artists and audiences related to appreciation, criticism, and responses to artworks. The analysis was conducted by identifying interaction patterns, forms of audience participation, and the dynamics of visual discourse developing on social media. The findings indicate that social media functions not only as a medium for artwork distribution but also as a more open, participatory, and interactive digital public space in the process of art appreciation and the negotiation of artistic meaning. Audience engagement through comments, content sharing, and online discussions also influences the creative process, artwork visibility, and the formation of artistic value. This study concludes that social media has reconstructed the relationship between artists and audiences through the creation of more democratic digital discussion spaces, although it also presents new challenges for contemporary visual art practices.

Artistic Studies

Aindana Sulva

Physics learning on sound waves is often overly theoretical, hindering students' conceptual connection to real-world phenomena. This study explores the potential of the traditional rebana as a culturally relevant science learning resource to bridge this gap. Using an exploratory qualitative design, acoustic properties of the rebana were analyzed via the Phyphox application and interpreted through the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña model. Results confirm that the rebana effectively demonstrates core sound wave concepts—timbre, amplitude, frequency, and resonance—with physical structure and vibration energy directly dictating its acoustic output. Baseline acoustic data (145–1251 Hz; 87–89 dB) support the observable variations in amplitude and resonance found in this study. Furthermore, teacher feedback highlights that unlike conventional textbook-based instruction, the rebana provides tangible demonstrations of vibration and pitch, significantly enhancing student engagement. Consequently, the rebana serves as a scientifically measurable and contextually rich tool that integrates local wisdom into modern physics education, fostering meaningful learning experiences.

Artistic Studies

Habibah Habibah, Ali Hasan Siswanto

Persistent racial discrimination, school violence, and historical trauma remain important social issues in Indonesia and are often reinforced through everyday discourse and institutional silence. This study examines how these issues are represented in Pengepungan di Bukit Duri using Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Employing a qualitative multimodal approach, the study analyzes 14 purposively selected scenes and 40 audience comments across Fairclough’s three dimensions: textual analysis, discursive practice, and social practice. The findings reveal four dominant discourses: racialized othering, normalized school violence, institutional failure, and intergenerational trauma. These discourses are constructed through the interaction of dialogue, visual representation, narrative structure, and cinematic techniques such as framing, camera positioning, spatial composition, and low-key lighting. The analysis further shows that educational institutions are portrayed as sites where violence and exclusion are reproduced through silence and inaction, while audience responses extend the film’s discourse into broader public discussions. The study contributes theoretically by demonstrating the applicability of Fairclough’s CDA to multimodal film analysis and by highlighting how cinematic discourse participates in the construction and contestation of social ideologies. More broadly, the findings underscore the value of cinema as a medium for examining issues of race, power, and social justice, contributing to wider debates in film studies, discourse analysis, and critical social research.

Artistic Studies

Tasya Aviani Popang, Supadiyanto Supadiyanto

Cyber sexual exploitation has emerged as a critical digital crime facilitated by anonymous platforms, yet structural media representations remain insufficiently examined. This study analyzes how the documentary Cyber Hell represents the mechanisms, actors, and cycle of cyber sexual exploitation, along with its broader social implications. Utilizing a qualitative visual and narrative analysis, this research examines 18 key scenes, two primary visual figures, and one exploitation cycle diagram. The analysis identifies six sequential stages of exploitation: social media contact, victim access, data theft, threats and extortion, sexual exploitation, and content distribution. Two major themes emerged: systematic digital control and investigative exposure. The findings portray exploitation as an organized, technology-facilitated, and coercive process, while highlighting investigative media as a critical tool for revealing hidden crimes. The documentary effectively visualizes complex digital violence, underscoring the urgent need for robust legal enforcement and media literacy. This study contributes empirical insights to communication scholarship and offers practical implications for policymakers, educators, and digital platforms to strengthen victim protection and enhance global awareness of technology-facilitated sexual violence.

Artistic Studies

Hafidh Akbar Dinhar, Ilyas Supena

Religious short films have increasingly become a powerful medium for conveying Islamic values in the modern digital era; however, their limited duration often challenges filmmakers in communicating complex spiritual concepts through concise visual storytelling. This study examines how specific cinematographic techniques are strategically utilized to represent the fundamental Islamic values of ikhtiar (earnest human effort) and tawakkal (absolute trust in God) within the short film Doa Suto. A qualitative content analysis approach was employed by examining selected scenes, lighting, and visual compositions throughout the film. The analysis was primarily guided by Mascelli’s Five C’s of cinematography camera angles, continuity, cutting, close-ups, and composition and further supported by the interactive data analysis model of Miles and Huberman to ensure rigorous interpretation. The findings indicate that ikhtiar is visually represented through focused close-up and medium-shot framing, precise continuity editing, and repetitive visual patterns that emphasize persistence, physical labor, and internal emotional struggle. In contrast, the concept of tawakkal is effectively conveyed through expansive wide shots, balanced symmetrical compositions, minimal camera movement, and extended shot durations that symbolize spiritual calmness, divine presence, and total surrender. These visual strategies demonstrate how cinematography functions not only as a narrative tool but also as a symbolic device in communicating deep religious meaning to a digital audience. This study contributes significantly to religious film and media studies by showing how cinematographic techniques operate as a specialized form of visual theology that successfully translates abstract Islamic spiritual values into tangible, evocative cinematic representation for contemporary viewers and filmmakers.

Artistic Studies