Invention of “Creative City”: Youth cultural practices and the rise of an outsider in bandung

Abstract

This paper will show that one of the decisive factors in the rise of Ridwan Kamil as the mayor of Bandung is the sociocultural context of the city. The daily cultural practices of urban apolitical “ordinary” young people have been historically developed into or conceptualized as “creative” (kreatif). The term “kreatif” itself is ambiguous and could include anything new and different. Ridwan Kamil, as a political outsider with no strong political base, has shrewdly and successfully exploited the ambiguous concept of kreatif to increase his popularity among the urban citizens in Bandung. Bandung has been described as a thriving cosmopolitan city during the colonial period. Urban young people in the city were depoliticized but able to enjoy Western popular culture under the Suharto regime. Especially since 1990, they have built independent music and clothing labels to develop the local indie scene. Ridwan Kamil, as an architect, has supported creative industries, including fashion and music. He has successfully changed the mindset of citizens to become the mayor of Bandung through creative festivals.