Muhammad Fadli and Whiteboard Journal to host an event for the release of Vespa subculture photo book

Muhammad Fadli, a photographer and photo editor, released a photo book titled “Rebel Riders” that delves deeper into the extreme vespa subculture. Whiteboard Journal’s bookshop will hold a limited pop-up event at Footurama in Kemang to celebrate the launch.

The pop-up event will be open to the public from 26 November to 17 December. To complement the grand opening of the pop-up event, Whiteboard Journal will arrange a signing session with Muhammad Fadli.

The lifestyle and subculture expressed in “Rebel Riders” first came to life as a part of the movement to break down the walls of normalcy - a vision born from the euphoria resulting from the freedom to self expression, following the collapse of Indonesia’s authoritarian regime in 1998. 

As a part of the Indonesian community, being enthralled by Piaggio’s vespa motorcycles is common. However, there seems to be a different form of vespa that Indonesians may find developing soon. It has a similar yet more inconspicuous side of the spectrum that became Fadli’s subject of analysis. 

The photo book, which introduces the readers to a group of riders, shows how they pursue their ambitions adamantly and find the means to express themselves through their community and within their love for motorcycles. 

It also shows the creativity of the riders in modifying their motorbikes and finding liberty in doing so. Choosing between a variety of shapes, sizes and different materials, the modifications they made seem to find no limit.

“Fadli is one of the most talented local photographers. We’ve been putting this on the backburner for a while, but we’re ecstatic to finally make it a reality,” said Managing Editor for Whiteboard Journal Muhammad Hilmi. 

“The book in itself is a very captivating experience for readers, as it captures the unique subculture we’ve had solely in Indonesia, and having it released as a photo book is also an interesting touch to it,” he added.