Founded in 2013 by curators Kristi Monfries and Joel Stern, the Instrument Builders Project (IBP) is an ongoing platform for artistic collaboration and experimentation between Australian and Asia Pacific artists working at the intersection of contemporary art, sound and performance.

IBP uses a cross-disciplinary and socially engaged approach, each iteration is different and unique. The methodology is simple; artists from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds work in a shared studio environment to create new sounds, processes, situations and objects which are collaboratively conceived, designed and constructed, and then presented and performed at the finale of the project. IBP has been staged four times; twice in Indonesia at iCAN Yogyakarta in 2013 & 2014, in Australia at the National Gallery of Victoria in 2014 and Japan at the Kyoto Art Centre in 2018, generating surprising and profoundly rewarding outcomes for the participating artists, local communities, and broader audience.

We are pleased to announce IBP5. Curated by Kristi Monfries, Joel Stern and Lisa Campbell-Smith, and presented by Contemporary Art Tasmania in partnership with Liquid Architecture, and Volcanic Winds, IBP5 will be a platform for new collaborations by Tasmanian artists Richie Cyngler, Julia Drouhin, Dylan Sheridan and Pip Stafford. Undertaking a residency at the University of Tasmania, School of Architecture & Design, the four will present the results as part of a performative installation at Mona Foma, Launceston 2021.

In the lead-up to IBP5 we have worked closely with artists from Indonesia; Misbach Bilok, Wukir Suryadi, Natasha Tontey, and Japan; Tomoko Momiyama and Yuya Tsukahara. Although, due to travel restrictions, it has not been possible to bring them to Tasmania, we want to acknowledge their contribution and commitment to IBP, and reaffirm our plans to support them in the future.

INSTRU­MENT BUILDERS PROJECTS EST. 2013

IBP1 at iCAN, Yogyakarta [2013]
Rod Cooper, Dylan Mar­torell, Pia Van Gelder and Michael Candy (Aus­tralia)
Wukir Suryadi, Asep Nata, Ardi Gunawan and Andreas Sia­gian (Indone­sia)

IBP2 at iCAN, Yogyakarta [2014]
Jompet Kuswidananto, Wukir Suryadi, Bagus Pan­dega and Mas Bowo (Indone­sia)
Dale Gorfinkel, Tintin Wulia, Peter Blamey and Caitlin Franz­mann (Aus­tralia)

IBP3 at National Gallery of Vic­to­ria, Melbourne [2014]
Lintang Radittya, Andreas Siagian, Wukir Suryadi, Tintin Wulia (Indonesia)
Peter Blamey, Michael Candy, Caitlin Franzmann, Pia Van Gelder, Dale Gorfinkel, Dylan Martorell (Australia)

HITS FROM THE GONG, publication [2015]
In 2015 a commemorative publication was produced, with support from the Australia Indonesia Institute, with commissioned essays and artist pages covering the highlights of the program.

IBP4 at Kyoto Art Centre, Kyoto [2018]
Masamitsu Araki, Tomoko Momiyama, Yuya Tsukahara (Japan)
Misbach Daeng Bilok, Wukir Suryadi, and Natasha Tontey (Indonesia)
Caitlin Franzmann (Australia)

Full documentation from past Instrument Builders Project iterations via theinstrumentbuildersproject.com