His name is known as Eko Prawoto, full Eko Agus Prawoto. Born in Purworejo, August 13, 1958. Lived his childhood in Purworejo, then started to set foot in Yogyakarta, studied at the Faculty of Engineering, Department of Architecture until graduating in 1982. Started his career as a lecturer in Architecture, then continued his master's studies in architecture at the Berlage Institute Amsterdam, Netherlands 1993. Eko Prawoto was one of the pioneers of the Department of Architecture at the Faculty of Engineering, Duta Wacana Christian University (UKDW) Yogyakarta. As a young lecturer whose job is to develop curriculum, Eko Prawoto associates a lot with Rama YB Mangunwijaya, an architect/humanist who fights for housing for the urban poor on the banks of the Code River in the center of Yogyakarta city, in addition to other humanitarian advocacy. Eko Prawoto counted his association with YB Mangunwijaya to span 20 years. There are basic principles from the field of architecture that Eko Prawoto wrote about which can also be found in the various architectural works he designed. Architecture is a medium that works with and within nature and things. In fact, nature and objects are bound by laws that need to be understood. The truth needs to be understood and upheld, as well as how to treat objects with compassion so that they can be present in amazing beauty. A statement whose formulation is like that, can be found in the architectural works he did. Even with leftover (used) ingredients. He will not give up with the installation using standard materials. In addition, for Eko Prawoto, architecture is also inseparable from its socio-cultural reality. With that principle, his work is highly integrated with the surrounding environment. Can be traced in the project trail after the 2006 Yogya disaster in Boto Kenceng village, Bantul. In the course of his next work, up to his present involvement in making efforts to make a museum of everyday building work tools.
There are a number of building works done by Eko Prawoto. Among other things, the residence of a number of artists - the brothers Butet Kertarajasa and the late. Djaduk Ferianto, Suwarno Wisetrotomo, dancer couple Jenny Park - Lantip, the studio house of the artist Pupuk Daru P., the studio house of the artist Nasirun, journalist Maria Hartiningsih, etc. Apart from the residence, there are also work studios, performance rooms and exhibition spaces belonging to the Kua Etnika music group, Cemeti Art House, Banjar Mili Dance Studio, Langgeng Art Gallery Magelang, etc. His other works are also found in several cities in Indonesia. It even belongs to Grupo Naruman, Bucoli, a community in Timor Leste. Eko Prawoto's involvement in the field of architecture is also in line with his involvement in the arts. So it is not surprising, there are various exhibition opportunities that he participates in, both at the national and international levels. Since 1999, Eko Prawoto has been listed in several Cities on the Move events. (1999), at Hayward Gallery, London; (2000) in Kiasma, Helsinki, Finland. Transforming Asian Cities (2004) in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang, Yogyakarta. And so on, Eko was involved in various exhibitions in cities in Europe, and big cities in Asia. When Indonesian artists were involved in the 2017 Europalia Art Festival Indonesia, an exhibition of works in Brussels and Antwerp, Belgium, Eko presented "Bale Kambang" at Bonapartedok and Museum an de Stoom. His work was presented using bamboo. Bamboo is the material used to conquer and create space in various international events. At the same time giving the characteristics of eco-architecture.
In his view of artistic activities in the city, Eko Prawoto places art as a common ground, a common clan social platform for city life. It needs to be open to accept the aspirations of its citizens, the stakeholders who drive it. Thus it is necessary to maintain its continuity. Not only become routine, mechanistic, without spirit. These principles and views are also lived by Eko Prawoto in his daily life. Here are some brief descriptions of Eko Prawoto's figure. Apart from teaching staff at the UKDW Faculty of Engineering, he was also involved as the Jogja Biennale Curator in several episodes of the event. Also a member of the Yogyakarta Biennale Foundation. He has been a Member of the Cultural Council of the Province of Yogyakarta several times. Period 2009-2013, 2020-2022. It became clear, for him, that architecture was not for itself, but for art. That's what Eko Prawoto, the Architect and Artist did. ***