Path. 14, The River Flows Two Ways is a dialogue between a human and his environment—a site-responsive project that interweaves performance, poetry, and scientific inquiry through the interplay of words, landscape, and the body.

The multimodal project began with a performance and a poem. In his performance for the camera, Boedi created ink rubbings of geological surfaces on the Mekong River’s rock islet, transposing the river’s prehistoric landscape into an image—a speculative proto-writing of land and water. Extending this exploration, he delved into the river’s molecular realm, sampling its water to sequence DNA and map microbial life. His scientific engagement complements his poetic expression, bridging the physical and biological layers of the environment.

The accompanying poem—“Rivers and lakes / Tanah dan air / Land and water / Sungai sejarah”—blends English and Bahasa Indonesia, evoking the river’s cultural and geographical dimensions. Through this multilingual invocation, Boedi summons the Mekong’s layered histories, connecting its physical presence with the narratives it carries.

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Credits
Performer | Director | Editor Boedi Widjaja
Cinematographer | Offline editor Harry Chew
Drone videography Weme Creation
Sound Jonathan Yip
Producer Audrey Koh

Collaborators
DNA consultant A/P Eric Yap
DNÅ analysis Digital Molecular Analytics and Science
Ceramics Doy Din Dang Pottery