The Bandung Photography Triennale is a triennial event that debuted in 2022. Its origins trace back to 2015 when the Bandung Photo Showcase was first held. This showcase featured a series of programs, including exhibitions, discussions, workshops, and collaborative projects, initiated by Komvni Photo Collective in collaboration with Institut Français Indonesia (IFI) in Bandung. The overwhelmingly positive response from various stakeholders encouraged Komvni to expand the event into a more extensive and sustainable program.
In 2017, the Bandung Photo Showcase was held again on a smaller scale, still in collaboration with IFI Bandung. After an evaluation in 2019, Komvni transformed the event into a triennial format named Bandung Photography Triennale. To prepare for the launch of this event, Komvni partnered with the Faculty of Art and Design, Institut Teknologi Bandung (FSRD ITB) to organize the Road to Bandung Photography Triennale in late 2020 and early 2021. The program’s first instalment, “Invasion of The Lens: Culture Resistance and Aesthetics,” was held at Galeri Soemardja and Selasar Sunaryo Art Space. It featured 12 artists and academics from 7 countries, showcasing diverse artistic approaches and backgrounds.
Towards the end of 2021, Komvni held the second instalment of the Road to Bandung Photography Triennale, titled “Welcome to The Machine,” at Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Orbital Gallery, and Galeri Ruang Dini. This event involved 20 artists from 7 countries.
In 2022, the first edition of the Bandung Photography Triennale was finally held. The event comprised five main events across museums and galleries, three satellite programs at galleries and art spaces, an international seminar, academic programs, discussions, and book reviews. The central theme of the first edition was “Future is Now: Skepticism, New Reality, and Infinities,” featuring artists from 13 countries. The event was a resounding success with support from various private and government entities, academics, and media reception. Building on this momentum, committee extended the program in 2023 with an exhibition and workshops titled “Future is Now; Land/Escape,” focused on local artists and participants addressing environmental and ecological issues. This extension also served as the official closing program for the first edition of the Bandung Photography Triennale.
For the second edition, scheduled for September 2025, the Bandung Photography Triennale has prepared a theme that builds on the previous one while responding to current global geopolitical conditions. The main theme, “Synthetic Vision: The Age of Fictionalizing in Our Culture,” will be broken down into several sub-themes. Through this theme, the Bandung Photography Triennale aims to serve as a platform for photographers to map their responses to contemporary geopolitical realities using various artistic methods, territories, perspectives, and critical reflections.