Visualizing Heroes: Heroicism as a Visual Narative in Indonesia-s Presidential Election
Lingga Agung, Wibisono Tegar Guna Putra
Telkom University
Abstract
The narrations of heroes are believed originated from the first dawn of human-s congregation. From choosing group leaders; the aggression against Mother Nature; and conquering other tribes was done in order to maintain group sustainability and this was the part of human civilization. The story and visualization constructed various form of hero figure that still reproduced until this very day. The manifestations of hero figure were embodied in various visual forms. Such as cultural artifacts from the past, superhero in popular culture, to the real figures that is very close in our daily life. We use the hero analogy as a way to understand the contestation of the 2019 Presidential Election in Indonesia. Especially on how Prabowo Subianto were idealized as a hero figure—that will bring the glorious future of Indonesia. Through Instagram, we analyzed how Prabowo Subianto creating his own heroic visual narratives that are very familiar with the visual construction of the Indonesia people which presented through the popular heroic personage.
Keywords: Heroes, Pop Culture, Visual Anthropology, Digital Ethnography, Social Media
Topic: Culture