Indonesia: A contemporary cultural identity?

Fauzi Bowo, the governor of Jakarta, hoped that Indonesia’s 10th international dance festival, which opened on Monday, would brand “Kota Jakarta [Jakarta City] as a cultural city and main tourism destination in Indonesia”, whilst closely aligned the festival to Jakarta’s 483rd anniversary celebrations.

Contemporary feel: Muslimin B. Pranowo — a contemporary group from Indonesia, performs The Young, with two dancers. Courtesy of the Indonesian Dance Festival

But how easy is it for Indonesia to form a contemporary cultural identity within this international setting?

If the festival’s opening ceremony is anything to go by — the answer is, “quite difficult”. No matter how physical, emotive or creative the performances, the Koreans still managed to steal the show.

In attempting to deliver a message that crosses cultural boundaries, the festival invited choreographers and dancers from around the globe.

Monday’s ceremony opened with three performances — two from Indonesian groups, and the last from South Korea — to initiate a “cultural collaboration… between Indonesian and foreign choreographers” in the hope of “innovative creativity”. Each group delivered performances of around 25-30 minutes, attempting to convey one of various “themes” — conscience, the adolescent mind, passion, greed.

A traditional piece, in memory of Gusmiati Suid (an artist from Sumatra famed for her development of Indonesia’s cultural scene) was performed first. Muslimin B. Pranowo — the second and more contemporary group from Indonesia, followed suit with its performance The Young, which attempted to delve into the “complex and dynamic setting of a teenagers’ journey in life”.

Indeed, Muslimin B. Pranowo achieved moderate success in this, the only props being sneakers scattered around the stage, and the music shifting from thumping drum beats, to sporadic radio clips and the buzzing of mosquitos. With only two dancers — a man and woman — the characters interacted well together, at times working in perfect unison, at times thrusting themselves at each other, tearing themselves away, standing up, falling down, experimenting with their movement as with the adolescence they were hoping to convey.

The sneakers featured, not unremarkably, about half-way through the piece — they were initially discovered by the male dancer who, in an impressive display of contortion, put one on and pulsated his feet about the stage, as though the shoe were in control. The “adolescent effect” relied, predictably, on discord — sporadic music, erratic behavior, minute-long pauses where the dancers would hold a primal pose, one on top of the other, then a great crashing fight; a shoe that had been put on delivering a new lease of energy.

Visually, it was impressive, the piece was exciting, but it lacked spectacle and was partly dwarfed by the subsequent Kim Jae-duk Project, which was introduced thereafter.

As the first intrinsically international contingent of the festival, the Kim Jae-duk Project certainly made an impact. Perhaps as equally impressive as the 8 or 9 dancers, however, was the live vocalist, situated facing the stage in the auditorium’s stairwell. His voice was electrifying, delivering piercing tones, and shrill cries, and “oomphs” and “aaaahs”, often contrasting to moments of stillness onstage.

Towards the end, he was joined by a three-piece modern rock band — two guitarists (one stage-left, the other stage-right), a drummer (complete with afro) and Kim Jae-duk himself (who, up until then had been part of the dance troupe) as an accompanying vocalist and occasional harmonica-player.

Compared to the more traditional music at the beginning, and indeed contrasting with the now-familiar dance work of sudden movement then precise unison that was occurring on stage, the music really lifted the atmosphere.

In aiming to “make every audience a performer”, Kim Jae-duk choreographed his dancers to enter the auditorium, “cross the borderline between seats and stage”, and before we knew it there were photographers holding the dancers’ props, spotlights streaming up and down the stairwells, and the obligatory clapping of hands in time with the beat.

An enjoyable, surreal perhaps, end to the first round of the festival’s half-week programme.

As a whole, the performances were generally well accomplished, delivered in a style that was mostly creative, and the various “themes” could, at times, be detected.

Never lacking in energy, the Indonesian groups were convincing, they performed with spirit, were choreographed well, but perhaps lacked the panache, the originality that South Korea provided in its climax of dance and music and light that stole the show at its close.

With this in mind, there is hope for Indonesia’s cultural scene; the festival was invigorating, creative, and a massive step forward.

Whether this can translate into the hive of cultural tourism that Governor Bowo envisages, is yet to be seen, however, certainly in the words of the ceremony’s compère that evening, the message was clear — “this is Indonesia, this is how we do things — together, joining hands.”

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/18/indonesia-a-contemporary-cultural-identity.html

Digital Door for Art

For struggling artists in Indonesia, a Web site based halfway across the world is helping them get noticed. Deviantart.com in Los Angeles has become the outlet of choice for up-and-comers who otherwise have a slim chance of getting into galleries dominated by more senior artists.

DA, as it more commonly referred to, dubs itself as “the world’s largest online community of artists and art lovers.” The site is said to have more than 13 million members who have posted more than 100 million

artworks, ranging from photography to digital art.

The Indonesia community on DA — #indonesia under the groups tab — was founded seven years ago. The chapter currently has six administrators and close to 1,900 members.

Veteran artist Ipong Purnomo Sidhi said that he has heard a lot about the community from his colleagues at Bentara Budaya cultural center in Jakarta.

“It’s been around and talked about,” he said. “I’m not a frequent visitor, but I have browsed the Web site several times just to take a look at what’s new.”

Ipong, who recently concluded his Bali exhibition and was leaving for the Netherlands soon, said that an online “gallery like deviantart is inevitable” these days, since major galleries with their extensive connections of art dealers and buyers prefer to deal with more established names.

He added that the Internet was no longer a luxury for many artists, especially for the younger generation, but has become a necessity. “They can have a blog or post their artwork online so that they could be more publicly known. But I think one blog would not be too interesting. Deviantart.com is a virtual community of artists in its own right.”

Praditya Nova, who goes by the name Ditya online, is listed as the founder of the Indonesia community. “Our group aims to showcase Indonesian art and also to promote our country internationally to foreigners,” he said.

“The way we do it is we show something beautiful about our country and not something bad about it through artworks.”

The pictures in the community’s gallery visually represent aspects of Indonesian culture, politics, society and history as portrayed by various members.

In terms of the form and presentation, one can find art ranging from photographs to Japanese-style comic drawings.

The themes of the artworks are varied, featuring poems and sketches of former presidents like Sukarno and graphic icons that say “I Love Indonesia” in batik style.

The artworks also constantly reference the country’s mythology, such as the garuda, and national heroes such as Raden Adjeng Kartini, but using modern methods to reinterpret them.

Praditya explained their guidelines for the community. The topic must be about Indonesia. Once submitted, the work will then be put to a vote by the administrators before being posted online.

“We have very strict rules when it comes to selection of artworks,” said Mare Kullit, another administrator of the community, who is known as tetamarbeta on the site.

“We want to make sure that only the best work that is submitted will be showcased.”

On average, the Indonesia community on DA receives 20-30 artwork submissions daily, but only 1 percent of these will usually make it to the page.

One somewhat controversial criteria of the community is the rejection of submissions if they portray Indonesia in a bad light. “Pictures that show the bad side of Indonesia can easily mislead people to think that we’re a very poor country,” Pradiyta said. “We want to let everyone know that even if we are a developing country, we have beautiful landscapes and we are a beautiful place.”

Being a member has its perks. Members can easily tap into each other’s expertise and collaborate to produce art pieces for their clients.

This means that someone good at photography could request help from a fellow member with an expertise in digital imaging to fine tune their snapshots. They are also able to give feedback and share ideas on how to improve skills and technique.

Galih Adi P, who goes by munkymuck online, said his portfolio got a boost when his works were featured on the Web site.

“Through DA, clients from all around the world, including in Australia and the US, have contacted me,” he said. “So far, I’ve done designs for CD covers, posters and fliers.”

Praditya, who is also a professional photographer, also uses the site to drum up business and make new contacts. “I direct my clients to view my portfolio on my DA account.”

“I also got to know many more like-minded friends from Indonesia and other countries.”

Even though the Indonesia deviantart community exists online, it has started to spill over to real life. Members meet up during what they refer to as the yearly local devmeet (deviant art meet-up).

The community also organizes art exhibitions and competitions with other institutions.

One such exhibit is in collaboration with the University of Mercu Buana Jakarta’s design department, to be held on campus from June 26-29.

As with all things, there is an upside and downside to having an online gallery of sorts.

The upside is obviously the global exposure for the least expense. Ipong said that it was too expensive for fledgling artists to organize solo exhibitions.

“It may sound cynical, but I’m saying it. Art exhibitions tend to become an event where business transactions are mostly expected to happen,” he said, adding that many idealists are still of the notion that shows should only be used to send their message to the public.

The downside? “With online galleries, the danger would be the curatorial process,” Ipong said. “If it’s set up for the sake of improving fine art, then it must not discriminate on gender, faith, or ideology.

“Artworks must not be judged on their aesthetic aspects alone, but for their messages as well. And importantly, artworks must not be directed to glorify one particular idea.”

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/lifeandtimes/digital-door-for-art/381399

‘Tan Matepi’, a dialogue with wood

An ongoing exhibition at Ubud’s Puri Lukisan Museum shows that traditional Balinese wood sculpture is still alive, and most importantly, retains its energy to mesmerize even the most seasoned of art connoisseurs.

 Following the demise of Lempad, Cokot, Tilem, Njana, Ayun and the other great sculptors of the 1940s and 1950s, traditional Balinese wood sculpture gradually faded into obscurity.

The rising popularity of modern and contemporary arts, which crowned painting as the most sought art object, as well as the onslaught of tourism — which opened a huge market for mass-produced, lower quality wood and stone statues — drove traditional Balinese wood sculpture out of and away from the limelight.

“Then Darlun came, and all of sudden, we were reminded that people like him, committed and dedicated artists who preserve and develop this art form, still exist. Suddenly we realized this art form was still a living tradition, and  that there was more to Balinese sculpture than the wooden handicrafts sold to tourists,” Wayan Windia said.

A professor of traditional law, Windia is no stranger to beautiful sculptures. His late father was Wayan Pendet, a famous sculptor from Nyuh Kuning, Ubud. Nowadays, he juggles lecturing at Udayana University and managing a sculpture museum that houses his father’s precious treasures.

His name appears on the long list of art connoisseurs who find Darlun’s works captivating. It was Windia who came up with the term Tan Matepi (Without Borders), the title of Darlun’s solo exhibition at the museum.

High on this list is Lin Che Wei, the founder of Sarasvati Art Management, the research-based institution that co-organized the exhibition with Puri Lukisan, a museum owned by Ubud’s royal family — and one of a few establishments in the island that still collects traditional Balinese sculptures.

Lin disclosed it took six years to prepare the exhibition because unlike painters, sculptors could only create two to three pieces of art per year.

“I admire Pak Darlun’s energy, patience and tenacity. It is very difficult for a sculptor to do a solo exhibition because it takes such a long time,” he said.

The exhibit, he stressed, is part of Sarasvati’s long-term strategy to assist Balinese master-artists in gaining international recognition.

“I believe it is our shared responsibility to promote the traditional arts of our country. Bringing the masters of this tradition into the global stage will be a crucial step in achieving that objective,” he said.

It is hard not to fall in love with Darlun’s works. Jusuf Wanandi, avid collector whom Bali governor Mangku Pastika praised as “a man who loves Bali more than many Balinese do”, saw in Darlun’s works the vestiges of past masters.

“In Darlun, we find the continuation of the esthetic exploration of Tilem, Njana and Ayun. He is the successor of those great artists,” Wanandi said.

Bliss: One of Darlun’s works, Honeymoon (2009, hibiscus wood), depicts a couple in an amorous embrace.

The most eloquent narrative on the mesmerizing quality of Darlun’s works was conveyed by influential critic Oe Hong Djien.

“Darlun is adept in using the shapes of wood. He is capable of creating statues that are not deformed and are elegant as well as commanding. Darlun is also capable of effortlessly stretching his statues into extreme elongations whose deformities and soft yet intense expressions exude beauty,” he said.

Darlun’s exceptional ability to use the shape of wood, he disclosed, is in line with the age-old principle of traditional Balinese sculpture.

“A Balinese traditional statue generally follow the natural forms of the wood, which makes it a one-of-a-kind piece…unlike bronze or fiberglass statues that can be replicated easily,” he stressed.

Darlun’s choice to stay true to this principles means his pieces take more time to complete than might be required using a common technique, in which the artist shapes the wood into a pre-constructed form in his mind.

“Sometimes I spend days, even weeks, just looking at the wood, trying to figure out forms and a story that will match the original shape of the wood. Then a shape, or a story will flash across my mind and somehow it will work out beautifully,” Darlun said.

Darlun does not impose his ideas onto the wood. Instead, he asks the wood to “talk” to him, to reveal its true shape, to make him aware of the esthetic possibilities it bears in its shade of colors and textures.

Darlun’s creativity reflects the silent dialogue occurring between the man and the piece of wood. It is not uncommon for Balinese people to communicate with trees, because since childhood, they have been taught to respect the spirits of trees, rivers, mountains, and the sea.

Enamored with Bali: Bali Bangkit chairman Jusuf Wanandi (left) and Gianyar regent Tjokorda Artha Ardana Sukawati (right) examine one of Darlun’s works exhibited at Puri Lukisan Museum.

Bali’s traditional cosmology has never placed the human as the Divine’s sole and hegemonic representative in the world nor as the rightful owner of the earth, who can do whatever he or she wants

to the planet and its non-human inhabitants.

In this cosmology, a human is but a single filament in an inter-dependent and intertwined thread of life. In this culture, humans are constantly reminded that they share a space and time with many other beings, visible and invisible.

Thus, a Balinese family never exorcises the unseen creatures that reside in its house. Instead, the family erects a shrine, places an offering of food and wine, and offers a gesture of friendship toward the spirits.

This principle of peaceful co-existence extends to various facets of life; a mask-maker will ask the permission of the tree’s spirit before chopping down a tree, sacred wooden masks crafted from the same

tree will be treated as kin, a special ritual held every six months to honor the trees and a high priest will consult the Taru Pramana treatise to determine the magical properties of specific plants.

Darlun’s creative process reflects that respect toward the invisible power and esthetic possibilities that lie inside the wood.

When Darlun “listened” to the wood and the wood “spoke” to him, the ensuing dialogue gave birth to sculptures that never fail to mesmerize.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/03/%E2%80%98tan-matepi%E2%80%99-a-dialogue-with-wood.html

Spiritual Tourism in Sidoarjo

Sidoarjo regency is more likely to evoke painful thoughts of thousands of Lapindo mudflow victims still left in limbo rather than instill a desire to take a leisurely stroll around the area.

But aside from attracting attention as a prime location for natural disasters and man-made catastrophes, Sidoarjo has also become an increasingly popular destination for spiritual tourism.

In Kepetingan, Sawohan, Sidoarjo, East Java, there is a tomb believed to be final resting place of Dewi Sekardadu, the mother of Sunan Giri, one of the Wali Sanga - the "Nine Saints" responsible for spreading Islam across Java.

The most common way to reach the tomb is a 90-minute trip by motor boat from one of the small piers in Bluru Kidul village near the Fish Market on Jl. West Circle, or from Karanggayam village. It is also possible to reach the tomb overland, however the route is quite risky during the wet season, as it follows paths criss-crossing a number of ponds.

Despite being relatively difficult to reach, the tomb is nevertheless attracting an increasing number of pilgrims. According to Haji Waras, a community leader in the village of Kepetingan, pilgrims are usually made up of fishermen, cultural experts, spiritual figures or tourists who have heard about the tomb through word of mouth.

In the 1980s, one or two visitors came to visit the tomb each week. Today, individuals and groups come to pay their respect to Dewi Sekardadu. "The number of visitors increases around the time of the nyadran ceremony, which is held twice a year," Haji said.Fishing communities from around Sidoarjo revere Sunan Giri's mother's grave.

Marching on: Boys carrying offerings walk to the tomb of Dewi Sekardadu, the mother of Sunan Giri, one of the Wali Sanga – the “Nine Saints” responsible for spreading Islam across Java. JP/Alpha Savitri

Every Islamic new year (which this year fell in March), and near Ramadan, fishermen from Sidoarjo and their families get together to celebrate nyadran, which consists in thanking God for health and prosperity provided by the sea.

But where does nyadran originate from? It is said the celebrations are related to Dewi Sekardadu's tomb. The story of the tomb is rich in legend.

He who holds the key: Samadi, the gatekeeper for Dewi Sekardadu’s tomb. JP/Alpha Savitri

The sacred site's custodian, Samadi, explains that Sekardadu was the daughter of King Menak Sembuyu, the 14th century ruler of Blambangan, Banyuwangi, East Java. According to legend, the area of Blambangan suffered outbreaks of diseases.

One night, King Menak dreamed the only person who could save his daughter was Islamic leader Syeh Maulana Iskak who had settled in Gresik, East Java.

He quickly summoned the preacher, who managed to cure the princess and took his prize.After tying the knot, they lived in Blambangan, where residents listened to Syeh Maulana preach.

One by one, villagers left their belief in Hinduism, and turned to Islam.This enraged members of the kingdom's powerful elite including, eventually, the king himself.

Even Dewi Sekardadu began to resent her husband. Syeh Maulana finally left the palace to preach elsewhere, leaving his wife, who was pregnant by then.

The baby, who was born in 1365 AD and named Raden Paku, was kidnapped by power hungry officials and placed in a box then nailed and threw into the sea.

Upon learning that her son had been thrown into the sea, Dewi Sekardadu attempted to swim after him but drowned as the box floated away.Fishermen from Balongdowo found the body of a beautiful woman, who they believed to be Sekardadu, floating in the sea.

The body was brought to shore, and then given a proper burial.It turns out Sekardadu's baby, Raden Paku, ended up surviving. A fishing boat rescued him, who tod

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/04/spiritual-tourism-sidoarjo.html

Aiming high for the Island of the Gods

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has an elusive dream — developing Bali as one of the world’s art and cultural center.

“If the international community has an annual World Economic Forum, it should also create an annual World Cultural Forum here in Bali,” Yudhoyono said during the opening of the annual Bali Arts Festival last weekend.

The annual arts festival, initiated by noted scholar and former Bali Governor Ida Bagus Mantra in 1978, has been a showcase for the island’s rich culture and tradition.

However, it will take more than organizing an art festival to develop the island into an international art venue.

Bali still lacks professional art management and international-standard art venues including well-equipped theater stages and concert halls. Supporting infrastructures are badly needed to make the island a world-class art venue.

The Art Center complex in downtown Denpasar — which is currently hosting the art festival — is no longer adequate to accommodate colossal art performances.

Furthermore, many artists and scholars have strongly criticized the festival committee’s lack of professionalism in handling the event.

The art festival, which created a Rp 5 billion hole in the provincial budget, has turned into a traditional market rather than a sophisticated art event.

Every Sekehe (community-based art troop) complained it could do much better if it had enough money to support artistic endeavors. Improving the management of the annual Pekan Kesenian Bali (PKB) Arts Festival could be the key to making the president’s dream come true.

Ready to dance: Female dancers are ready to perform at the 32nd Bali Arts Festival in Puputan field, Badung, Bali, on Saturday. About 3,000 artists from Bali and seven countries are participating in the cultural fiesta, which is taking place between June 11 and July 11. JP/Zul Trio AnggonoReady to dance: Female dancers are ready to perform at the 32nd Bali Arts Festival in Puputan field, Badung, Bali, on Saturday. About 3,000 artists from Bali and seven countries are participating in the cultural fiesta, which is taking place between June 11 and July 11. JP/Zul Trio Anggono

The local administration, with financial and technical support from the central government, should be able to turn this annual art event into international scale art gathering, by taking a closer look at how our neighbor Singapore handles annual festivals for example.

The one-month long festival, started from June 11 through July 11, has the potential to become one of the island’s most popular tourist attractions since it is held during school holidays and summer holidays for overseas visitors.

Kadek Suartaya, an art lecturer and expert in traditional music instruments, was of the opinion that PKB had become a significant secular cultural activity that could draw thousands of spectators if it wanted to.

“This [the festival] is the most awaited event for the majority of Balinese artists and commoners alike,” wrote Suartaya. Both amateur and professional artists see the festival as a landmark for their artistic careers.

PKB features more than three hundred performing arts — theater, dance, traditional and contemporary music and more importantly the island’s ancient and rare arts, preserved so well by its talented and dedicated artists.

Watching the two-kilometer long art procession prior to the opening of the festival on Saturday afternoon was thrilling.

It was a real multicultural event, a window into Balinese arts and culture as well as the culture of other ethnic groups of Indonesia. The active participation of seven foreign countries such as the United States, Sweden, India, Singapore and Japan further enriched and colored this festivity.

Who says you can’t laugh: Comedy dancers entertain spectators during a Calon Arang folklore performance in Denpasar.JP/Zul Trio AnggonoWho says you can’t laugh: Comedy dancers entertain spectators during a Calon Arang folklore performance in Denpasar.JP/Zul Trio Anggono

Under the sub-theme Bhuana Kerti, the purification of the Universe, the procession started with a special ritual carried out by Governor Made Mangku Pastika.

Beautiful and handsome musicians and dancers performed Adi Merdangga bale ganjur traditional percussion followed by Siwa Nata Raja dance theater.

Clad in glamorous and glittering Balinese traditional costumes, hundreds of artists mesmerized distinguished guests and spectators.

Delegations from the island’s eight regencies and representatives of artists from 20 provinces in Indonesia and seven foreign countries participated in the procession.

The festival itself is more than just a joyous art activity. It is a search for spiritual enlightenment. This year’s festival bears a specific theme Sudama: Searching for the purity of our conscience.

For the next 30 days, Bali will host hundreds of quality art performances that will enrich anybody watching them.

For Indonesians fed up with the current media hullabaloo, the Bali Arts Festival might just be the perfect antidote — an artistic as well as spiritual oasis.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/06/17/aiming-high-island-gods.html