Shaping Place Identity in Urban Villages with Community Mural

Globalization has caused rapid expansions of cities and increased mobility of culture. In Indonesia, traditional settlement that is used to coexist with nature must face the challenge of modernization. Expansion of modern cities squeezed traditional settlements between commercial complexes and cause formation of segregated settlements, known as urban villages. Poor urban development often causes gentrification, thus producing slum areas and creates social disparity. This paper discusses mural decorations in urban villages of Java Indonesia that have transformed slum areas into iconic places. Decorating urban villages with mural has become a movement across Java for almost a decade. Several urban villages have evolved to become tourist destinations and part of the city’s identity. This research studies the production of place identity through community murals. A Combination of methods will be used in this research. First visual ethnography is used to examine local culture in one urban village of Java Indonesia. Second participatory approach will be used to examine the production process of community mural and to analyze how art can empower a community.