Art Summit to focus on social realism<\/p>\n
By Rita A. Widiadana<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): On Saturday night, Art Summit Indonesia II;
\nPerforming Arts, a one-month international festival of
\ncontemporary performing arts, is launched in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The event, which lasts until Oct. 19, is being held at the
\nTaman Ismail Marzuki arts center and Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.<\/p>\n
A series of high-standard performances in the fields of music,
\ndance and theater will be presented by internationally acclaimed
\nartists from the eight participating countries: Indonesia, United
\nStates, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Finland and
\nJapan. Egyptian representatives canceled at the last moment.<\/p>\n
Holding such a festival at this critical time when the
\nmajority of Indonesians are starving and the country's political
\nand economic conditions are crumbling might well offend many
\nparties.<\/p>\n
Edi Sedyawati, director general of culture at the Ministry of
\nEducation and Culture, argued that the festival was not aiming to
\nbe a grand extravaganza.<\/p>\n
\"This second art summit can indeed be considered a first test
\nof its potential to survive as a periodic (three-yearly)
\ninternational festival held and hosted by Indonesia,\" said Edi,
\nwho is also chairwoman of the event's advisory board, the
\nNational Steering Committee.<\/p>\n
The first festival, Art Summit Indonesia: Music and Dance, was
\nheld in l995 to commemorate Indonesia's 50th anniversary of
\nindependence and was considered a success.<\/p>\n
\"We have been arranging it for the last three years, before
\nthe country was hit by serious economic and political upheavals.
\nIf we cancel this event, Indonesia's name will be at risk in the
\ninternational art community,\" Edi commented.<\/p>\n
Sal Murgiyanto, a noted scholar and dance critic, added that
\nthis year's Art Summit will be far from glamourous. Instead, it
\nwill provide local audiences with alternative and quality art
\nenriched with philosophical ideas and superb techniques.<\/p>\n
\"The majority of the performances to be staged at the coming
\nevent are actually reflections of the current social conditions
\nin Indonesia and other countries,\" said Murgiyanto, a member of
\nthe organizing committee's artistic board.<\/p>\n
Citing an example, W.S. Rendra's Bengkel Teater's play Suku
\nNaga (Dragon Tribe) and Teater Mandiri's Ngeh (Understand) will
\ninvite the audience to ponder a variety of social issues from
\ndifferent perspectives.<\/p>\n
\"These theatrical works touch on everything from daily things
\nto sensitive social, economic and political issues many common
\npeople are not aware of. The audience will be given an
\nopportunity for self-contemplation,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
In the dance field, Indonesian choreographer Gusmiati Suid
\npresents her newest composition, Api Dalam Sekam (Fire in the
\nChaffs), to warn people of the hidden threat of the collapse of
\nthe country's social order that may possibly endanger their lives
\nand the nation.<\/p>\n
Social realism<\/p>\n
Germany's Bremer Tanztheater, led by famous choreographer
\nSusanne Linke, will also stage dance compositions rooted in
\nsocial realism. The birth of Tanztheater, a fusion of dance and
\ntheater, was inspired by the country's social and political chaos
\nin the early l960s.<\/p>\n
The turmoil inspired young and idealistic choreographers to
\ntransmit their social and political thoughts through their works.<\/p>\n
Japan's Butoh Dance has similar philosophical ideas. Yukio
\nWaguri, a Butoh dancer, said in his preliminary visit to Jakarta
\nlast July that Butoh was created in the early l950s when Japan
\nwas also hit by serious social, political and economic upheavals.<\/p>\n
Waguri analogized the situation in Japan in the early l950s
\nwith the present Indonesia's. \"The spirit of Butoh is well suited
\nto the current situation in Indonesia,\" Waguri said, as quoted by
\nInami Kazumi, assistant director of the Japan Foundation in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
In addition, the Art Summit Indonesia will show how
\ncontemporary performing arts have united artists of different
\ncultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds.<\/p>\n
According to Murgiyanto, the history of performing arts in the
\n20th century is a story of artists being inspired by and
\nincorporating the forms of other cultures, processes commonly
\ncalled interculturalism and intraculturalism.<\/p>\n
Interculturalism deals with the process of interaction between
\none culture and its foreign counterparts while intraculturalism
\nrefers to the process of interaction within certain culture.<\/p>\n
The collaboration of the Alvin Lucier Ensemble, led by one of
\nthe most prominent American contemporary composers, with the
\nWesleyan Gamelan Ensemble chaired by Indonesian artists Sumarsam
\nand I.M Harjito will be one of the best examples of
\ninterculturalism at the coming Art Summit. One of their works,
\nMusic for Voices and Gamelan Instruments, (l998), was written
\nespecially for the Art Summit in appreciation of its desire to
\npromote experimental music throughout the world.<\/p>\n
Japanese contemporary music composer Toshi Tsuchitori of
\nSpiral Arms and some musicians from the Surakarta Arts Institutes
\nwill also present joint projects.<\/p>\n
Another important intercultural project is being created by
\nIndonesian composer Tony Prabowo and the New Jakarta Ensemble.<\/p>\n
In his work, Tony involves local artists from the Yogyakarta
\nArts Institute and international artists: conductor Josefino
\nChino Toledo from the Philippines and Canadian violist Stephanie
\nGriffin.<\/p>\n
Going global<\/p>\n
While Indonesians are busy talking about going global, many of
\nthe country's contemporary artists have already set up a strong
\nfoothold in the international contemporary performing arts. To
\nname a few: composers Tony Prabowo, Paul Gutama and Franki Raden,
\ndancers\/choreographers Sardono W. Kusumo, Sulistyo, Miroto, Linda
\nHoemar, Gusmiati Suid and Ditta Miranda who works with the Bremer
\nTanztheater.<\/p>\n
Slamet Abdul Sjukur, chairman of the Indonesian Composers'
\nAssociation, said that they are almost \"unknown\" in their own
\ncountries but are well respected in the international community.<\/p>\n
\"The Art Summit Indonesia will be a great moment for the local
\naudience to watch performances by their own nation's artists with
\nsuch high international reputations,\" commented Slamet, a member
\nof the artistic board.<\/p>\n
Despite being less grandiose than the first Art Summit, this
\nyear's event will be similar in term of artistic quality.<\/p>\n
Saini K.M., chairman of the organizing committee, admitted
\nthat many factors, including the political and economic
\nconditions in Indonesia, might have hampered the implementation
\nof this year's art summit.<\/p>\n
\"But this is the real challenge for us, to prove that art
\nactivities still deserve attention despite the distressing
\nsituation,\" Saini explained.<\/p>\n
The foreign artists' participation is being supported by
\nforeign cultural centers and the embassies of the participating
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
\"Some of the artists have sought their own sponsors to finance
\ntheir travel to Indonesia. We are only providing accommodation
\nhere. We gratefully appreciate their enthusiasm,\" added Saini.<\/p>\n
The Art Summit Indonesia's Rp 2 billion (US$185,000) to Rp 3
\nbillion budget may be regarded as too much of a money-consuming
\nactivity, according to Putu Wijaya.<\/p>\n
\"The shortage of basic commodities has dismayed society.
\nSpending money on other than basic needs is extravagant,\" said
\nPutu.<\/p>\n
But now, he said, is the right time to prove that the arts is
\none of the nation's valuable assets. A song, a poem, a novel, a
\npainting, film, theater performance and music recitals are not
\ncreated just for entertainment although they are entertaining.<\/p>\n
The arts are meant to heal troubled souls and to enrich the
\npeople's intellectual and emotional lives.<\/p>\n
\"The arts is a means to build the nation from the inside and
\nthe Art Summit Indonesia could provide the ailing Indonesian
\npeople with self-enrichment,\" said Putu.<\/p>",
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