Artists come together to share, learn<\/p>\n
By Asip A. Hasani<\/p>\n
SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): A long-haired old man moved to
\nthe center of the arena, swaying to the rhythm of African and
\nSundanese drums.<\/p>\n
He moved freely, although he was clearly conscious of what he
\nwas doing. His rhythm was staggered, alternately fast or slow.<\/p>\n
Suddenly he stopped, taking a cross-legged position and
\nhumming tunes seemingly from the Dayaks or tribes in Irian Jaya.
\nThen he switched to the Javanese songs usually sung with gamelan
\nperformances.<\/p>\n
Disjointed? Strange? Not at all. His transition was so fluid
\nthat the audience was enthralled. A younger dancer also moved
\naround him, holding burning bamboo torches in each hand.<\/p>\n
The older man was Suprapto Suryodarmo, a dancer from Surakarta
\nwho is probably better known in Europe than in his own country.
\nSuprapto's dancing style is usually called \"meditation movement\",
\na term which he himself does not find appropriate. The second
\ndancer was Daryono, a dancing teacher at the Surakarta Indonesian
\nArts Higher Learning Institute (STSI). The accompanying music was
\nplayed by I Wayan Sadre, a contemporary musician, and his
\ncolleagues.<\/p>\n
The performance in early January was part of an international
\nseries of events, Sharing Art and Shadow, held at the Lemah Putih
\nDance rehearsal area and dormitory owned by Suprapto in
\nPlesungan, a village about seven kilometers north of Surakarta.<\/p>\n
The opening ceremony was attended by a number of noted figures
\nin Indonesian arts, like famous poet WS Rendra and head of the
\nSurakarta Cultural Center (TBS) Murtidjono. Some 40 artists
\nparticipated in the events, including five foreigners: a
\ncontemporary fine artist Jamie Jewett of the United States,
\nAmerican dancer Diana Butler, German visual artist Kirsten Funke,
\nCanadian painter Deborah Nolan and German installation artist
\nKlaus.<\/p>\n
Most participants were young artists, such as dancer-cum-
\nchoreographer Jarot B. Darsono and poet Sosiawan Leak of
\nSurakarta, dancer Bimo Wiwohatmo and painter Samuel Indratma of
\nYogyakarta, dancer Suryani Rasyid of Makassar. Others came from
\nJakarta, Surabaya, Semarang and Klaten.<\/p>\n
For five days at a stretch, there were at least 20 dancing,
\ntheatrical and installation performances.<\/p>\n
Suprapto said that these events were not the same as a
\nfestival as in a festival it was demanded that each participant
\nshould do their best. He said that these events would only serve
\nto bring together the participating artists so that they could
\nlearn from one another and appreciate each other's works.<\/p>\n
\"We are organizing these events to allow anybody imbued with
\nenthusiasm and joy to create something and learn from one
\nanother,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"In a festival, an artist's spontaneous creativity usually
\ngets stuck because he or she finds himself or herself in a
\ncompetitive atmosphere or at least feels burdened with an
\nobligation to create the best work.\"<\/p>\n
Art, he noted, must be placed in the perspective of the
\nrelationship between man and God and nature so that it will also
\nhave its ritual dimension and serve as a vehicle with which a
\nhuman development process will take place.<\/p>\n
Audience numbers were small, but the shows went on, from
\nhumorous renditions of shadow puppets to snake dancers.<\/p>\n
\"We, young artists, welcome events like these and will use our
\nfresh ideas in organizing similar programs in future,\" said one
\nof the participants, Titus, a member of Gidak Gidik Theater from
\nSurakarta.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/artists-come-together-to-share-learn-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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