Ayu Utami

Ayu Utami is an Indonesian writer and Director of the Literature & Ideas Festival at Salihara Art Centre in Jakarta. Ayu started her career as a journalist and activist, and her first novel, Saman, published in 1998 a few days before Indonesian President Soeharto stepped down, was highly acclaimed by literary critics and became a bestseller and an icon of the spirit of freedom during the political change (Reformasi) in Indonesia. She received the Prince Claus Award (2000) and Ahmad Bakrie Award (2018). She continues to work for the quality of expression through her writings and activities in culture and education, with her recent novel, Dekaden, an allegory of the recent political situation.

Ayu Utami adalah seorang penulis asal Indonesia dan Direktur Literature & Ideas Festival di Salihara Art Center, Jakarta. Ia memulai karirnya sebagai jurnalis dan aktivis, dan novel pertamanya yang dipublikasikan beberapa hari sebelum Presiden Soeharto lengser pada tahun 1998, Saman, mendapatkan pujian dan pengakuan dari kritikus sastra, menjadi buku terlaris pada masanya, dan merupakan ikon semangat kebebasan pada masa reformasi. Ia menerima Prince Claus Award (2000) and Ahmad Bakrie Award (2018). Melalui tulisan dan aktivitasnya di bidang kebudayaan dan pendidikan, Ayu terus mengupayakan kualitas berekspresi, salah satunya melalui novel terbarunya, Dekaden, sebuah alegori dari situasi politik terkini.