An honest look into my personal shadow. Mata Gelap is the dark side that has shaped me - part of my story within NEOLUKU.
In this blog I will take you into my Mata Gelap and Mata Terang. Two forces that influence my identity, my art and my philosophy. This is not a fairy tale, but a journey through pain, growth and meaning.
MATA GELAP & MATA TERANG
Why I believe in two eyes – and what they mean to me
Today I want to share something with you that might be the very core of NEOLUKU.
Something deeper than symbols, styles, or patterns.
It’s about the two eyes I’ve learned to see myself through:
MATA gelap and MATA terang.
These two words come from Maleis.
Literally, they mean “the dark eye” and “the bright eye.”
But to me, they are more than just words. They are forces.
They’ve grown with me throughout my life, and today I weave them into almost every design I create.
MATA GELAP – the warrior in me
I was raised with fire in my heart.
Not literally — but with that Molucan temperament.
Reacting when something doesn’t sit right. No talking, just action.
That’s MATA gelap. It’s instinct. Speed. Pride.
It gave us strength as warriors, as defenders of our honor.
Our history holds plenty of stories to prove that.
But in the life I live today,
I realized that same fire could also stand in my way.
I acted too fast. Reacted without thinking.
And afterwards, I’d ask myself: Why did I even respond like that?
That was the moment I started to open the other eye.
MATA TERANG – the eye that sees
MATA terang isn’t the opposite of fire.
It’s the eye that stands beside it.
It’s the clarity that comes when you take a step back.
When you dare to feel what’s really happening inside you.
Not to make yourself weaker — but to understand yourself.
It was only when I allowed myself to be still,
that I started to understand why I reacted so fiercely.
Why I felt the need to defend myself, even when no one was attacking.
The balance between fire and vision
These days, I try to live with both eyes open.
In my work. In my relationships. In how I look at my past.
Because all fire will burn everything down.
And clarity without action? You’ll never move.
For me, NEOLUKU is the dance between the two.
Between reflex and reflection.
Between instinct and insight.
When I design a tattoo, I don’t just look at what someone finds beautiful.
I ask:
- What do you want to let go of?
- What have you carried for too long?
- Where do you want to grow?
- And which part of yourself are you still afraid to show?
You wear more than ink
The lines I draw come from these conversations.
Not just from the pen or screen.
They’re echoes of what you’re going through.
And when we work together, I’m not just seeing with my hand —
I see with both of my eyes.
MATA gelap and MATA terang.
We all carry both.
And when you learn to use them as allies,
you’ll stand stronger than ever.
Yanoezs
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Want to dive deeper into this? Or do you recognize yourself in this story? Leave a comment.
I read everything. And maybe this is your moment to begin your NEOLUKU journey.
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