Dwi Oblo

Dwi Oblo was born in Wonogiri, April 6th, 1967; and graduated from the Department of Archeology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, in 1998. He currently lives and works in Yogyakarta.

Since 2004, he’s been working as a freelance photojournalist as well as an active contributor for Thomson-Reuters (Yogyakarta and Central Java regions), National Geographic Indonesia Magazine, and National Geographic Traveler Magazine. For the last ten years, he has facilitated a number of photojournalism workshops for various groups.

Since he was young, he has loved various forms of art, including painting. Drawing and painting were initial stepping stones before exploring photography. “I shoot a lot of things, sometimes randomly, because I basically like to document anything.” He used to work as a graphic designer at the Jaran Ethnic T-Shirt company.

Selected group and solo exhibitions include: Art On T-Shirt (Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta, 2001); Printmaking in the future (Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, 2001); Exploring Vacuum II Fine Arts Exhibition—a collaboration with Yudhi Soerjoatmodjo, Layung Buworo, Joned Suryatmoko entitled Mutlak Jujur (Cemeti Art House, 2003); andRemember Working Photojournalistic Solo Exhibition (Kedai Kebun Forum, 2004). From 2011-2017, in association with Indonesian Photojournalist/PFI, his photographs were included in several exhibitions in Yogyakarta: Jangan Fitnah Merapi (2011); Yogya Stops Comfortable (2013); Ayo Nguyu (2014); Nusa Bahari (2015); Di Mana Garuda (2017); Covid 19 dalam Lensa Jurnalis (2020).

His photography has been included in different publications such as: Bengawan Solo, Riwayatmu Kini (National Geographic Indonesia, 2009); Kampung Kota, Kota Kampung, Potret 7 Kampung di Kota Yogyakarta (Center for Environmental Studies UGM, 2010); Mt.Merapi 10, Summit Of Fire (Antara Photojournalistic Gallery, 2010); Javanese Kretek, Cross-Cultural Lifestyle (Gramedia, 2011); Borobudur: The Road to Recovery (UNESCO in collaboration with National Geographic Indonesia, 2012); Candi Indonesia seri Jawa dan luar Jawa (Directorate of Preservation of Cultural Conservation and Museums, Directorate General of Culture Ministry of Education and Culture, 2013); Asmaradan Merapi, Narasi Ketangguhan Orang-orang Merapi (BNPB and UNDP, 2014); Encyclopedia of Nahdlatul Ulama Volumes 1-4 (Mata Bangsa and PB NU, 2014); Sinabung Kelud Calling (Antara Photojournalistic Gallery, 2014); Sentarum Equilibrium (Betung Keriun National Park Center and Sentarum Lake, West Kalimantan); Jelajah Energi (PT. Pertamina Persero, one of the photographers to fill books for Pertamina’s 60th anniversary, 2017); as well as Kraton Yogyakarta, Pusat Kebudayaan Jawa (Yogyakarta Special Region Cultural Office, 2020).