It's been five years since Merdekarya opened its doors, under the graceful guidance of co-founders Melani Delilkan and Brian Gomez. Known for its egalitarian policies, the space is open to new artists to "carve their skill, to fumble and to make mistakes and most importantly, learn from them". We catch up with Brian Gomez, the co-founder of Merdekarya to hear about the highs and lows of running a space that's dedicated to promoting 100 per cent local art. We also find out more about his band, Putrabumi.