Muhammad Ridwan Alimuddin born and lives in Mandar, West Sulawesi. He is writer, journalist, fixer for documentary film and archivist. He is intensely involved in various book and documentary projects, particularly related to maritime culture. Some of his projects for example Briliant Season of Flying Fish, Part I: In Search of Flying Fish Eggs (2008) and he contributes his essay at book on Spices and Maritime in the context of colonial and post colonial. He is also active in literacy movement by establishing Nusa Pustaka, a community library in West Sulawesi.
Ridwan, in collaboration with TacTic Plastic group, displays an installation work in response to the problem found in Pambusuang Village, West Sulawesi. There, waste is a problem that has gone too complicated. It is blatantly contrasting to the communities’ belief in regard to the ocean. On one side, the people of Pambusuang put the ocean on a sacred position because it is where they earn their livelihood. They believe in various myths about sea—something which they cannot completely conquer. However, on the other side, they keep littering the ocean. Other than habit, having their settlement located far from landfills is a reason that troubles the communities. Ridwan connects the problem of plastic waste to one of the local annual traditions: flying fish egg hunting. Ridwan presents an installation of fish drying racks and two types of flying fish egg, one is edible while the other is mixed up with microplastics.
Photo source: ajikotamandar.or.id
