For hours, we\'d been engrossed in swapping spooky stories on the porch. As the night grew more oppressive, a thin, piercing laugh suddenly cut through the silence, emanating from the empty house across the street. The laugh was exactly like the one I\'d heard on television. It\'s said that when the laugh is faint, it means the presence is close by. Instantly, the three of us locked eyes, falling into a stunned silence.

Natasha Tontey\'s video work blends pseudo science-fiction and xenofeminism to envision alternative futures. Through a time paradox, glitchy animation, and the forgotten Indonesian space age symbolized by Apotek Sputnik, she blurs reality and speculation. A giant, immortal cockroach anchors her narrative, bridging past, present, and future. Tontey\'s \"Manifesto of Tactile and Fanciful Tactics\" complements the video, offering a 1.0 list of cosmic solutions for building speculative futures. This manifesto expands on the artwork\'s themes, providing a framework for reimagining possibilities. By weaving together disparate elements, Tontey invites viewers to question established realities and embrace imaginative, alternative trajectories.

Rice, a culinary and agricultural cornerstone of Indonesia, reflects historical and socioeconomic realities. Its diverse dishes across the archipelago shaped food culture and livelihoods, connecting consumers and producers. However, climate change threatens rice cultivation, a looming absence depicted in the artwork as a symbol of global sustainability concerns. The installation, showcasing various Indonesian rice dishes, transcends mere gastronomy, highlighting rice\\\'s integral role in the complete socioeconomic cycle. It prompts reflection on consumption and conservation. Beyond crops and meals, the artwork challenges viewers to consider rice\\\'s profound influence and the delicate balance between utilizing and preserving this vital resource in an era of environmental uncertainty.

PHUNK\'s \"Control Chaos\" encapsulates their core philosophy, blending childhood nostalgia, Chinese mythology, and urban landscapes like Haw Par Villa into a depiction of heaven, earth, and hell. Created post-9/11, it mirrored the era\'s turbulent atmosphere, debuting internationally at Reed Space in 2003. Now a cornerstone of the M+ Museum\'s permanent collection in Hong Kong, \"Control Chaos\" received a 2020 animated update, highlighting its enduring relevance. In a world grappling with globalization, technological shifts, and climate change, the artwork\'s themes of navigating disorder remain strikingly pertinent, solidifying its place as a significant cultural commentary.