In 1999, following Indonesia’s 1998 reform movement, newfound freedoms of assembly and expression led young people to form thriving creative communities. The early internet enabled these groups to exchange ideas, while DIY technology and digital tools spurred the rise of short films and video art. Collaboration flourished as communities shared resources, creating works together without economic motives.

Today, a similar collaborative spirit appears in the Web3 ecosystem, where creators join forces in NFT projects, training, and exhibitions. This revival of communal sharing highlights that collaboration remains vital for cultural advancement—a lesson we continue to rediscover.

Back in 1999, Indonesia had just experienced a wave of "reformation" in 1998. The 32-year reign of Soeharto's government finally came to an end, replaced by a group of "new politicians." The most significant aspect of this political event was that, for the first time, the air of freedom of assembly, association, and expression felt tangible for Indonesian society.

Naturally, young people were the first to seize this momentum. Communities from various fields of study and hobbies flourished uncontrollably. At the same time, the internet network began to develop, though it cannot be compared to today's advanced technology.

The existing internet infrastructure at that time was deemed sufficient to build social and creative movements. Mailing list groups emerged, and IRC was used as a platform to exchange ideas and thoughts. Meanwhile, digital technology was becoming more familiar to the public. DIY computers, pirated software and DVDs, and digital cameras sparked new enthusiasm among young people.

During this period, short films and video art proliferated, entering the realm of "new media" alongside contemporary art. What was interesting was the spirit of sharing between individuals and communities.

Many things at that time were categorized as "new knowledge," due to Indonesian society's long isolation from global connections. With newfound freedom of thought and action, a spirit of creating new things emerged. The problem, however, was that not everyone had access to sufficient knowledge and infrastructure.

During that era, numerous workshops and discussions aimed at sharing knowledge were organized by various communities, and all of them were free. Workshops were not enough; these communities or individuals often shared other tools or infrastructure for creating works.

Collaboration for producing works, usually short films, was common at that time. The uneven distribution of infrastructure and the eagerness to learn were the main motives behind this phenomenon. If a community was working on a film, another community from a different city would join to help while also learning from the production experience.

If one community had a camera but no computer, they would seek a collaborative partner with a computer, and vice versa. This process occurred organically, without any economic motive.

If we look at Indonesia’s film industry today, there are famous directors who emerged from that process. They managed to leverage the experience into something profitable for their profession.

I see the same spirit when entering the Web3 world. The words "collaboration," "communal," and "knowledge sharing" are often heard in the Web3 ecosystem, with activity patterns similar to what I described above.

Training programs aimed at onboarding creators into the NFT world, along with collaborative exhibitions, have become a common process in the Web3 world. Perhaps the idiom "history repeats itself" is true – in this case, we have been so individualistic for so long that we've forgotten that collaboration is a key requirement for advancing civilization.

This process will continue until it reaches its equilibrium point and becomes something we will reflect upon once again.