Bali gearing up to face the new millennium<\/p>\n
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): When the clock strikes midnight on New
\nYear's Eve, thousands of people will have flocked to the Island
\nof the Gods to warmly welcome the new century, watching a myriad
\nof millennial art and cultural festivals.<\/p>\n
Some of the memorable events are deliberately designed in
\ngrandeur to ring in the year 2000.<\/p>\n
One of the events to be held in Bali by the end of the year
\nwill be the International Percussion Festival called Sacred
\nRhythm: The Millennial Percussion for Unison.<\/p>\n
It is jointly organized by the United Nations Cultural
\nOrganization (Unesco), the Sacred Bridge Foundation, the Ministry
\nof Tourism, Arts and Culture, The Jakarta Post morning daily (as
\npublication sponsor) and other institutions.<\/p>\n
The festival is scheduled to be held in four different venues:
\nLimestone Quarry at Jimbaran for the Millennium Eve, Bali
\nInternational Convention Center for the indoor performances and
\nthree of the most sacred temples (the Penataran Sasi, Peti Tenget
\nand Samuan Tiga) for various contemplative activities from
\nDec.31, l999 through Jan.3, 2000.<\/p>\n
The festival will serve as an intercultural dialog among
\nartists and virtuoso coming from every part of the globe.<\/p>\n
The festival will be staging virtuoso performances by masters
\nof percussion music that represent the world's heritage of sacred
\nmusic. It is going to draw energy from the heart-beating drums of
\nAfrica to the meditative rhythm of Asian Buddhist; from the
\nearth-worshiping sounds of the Australian aborigines to the
\nsophisticated sound of Balinese gamelan.<\/p>\n
A number of famous musicians including Jin Hi Kim, a Korean-
\nborn musician, Stomu Yamashta from Japan, the New Jakarta
\nEnsemble, Harry Roesli and many other famous artists will take
\npart at the event.<\/p>\n
Another art event, Art and Peace, will also enrich Bali's
\nmillennial festival. Organized by painter Made Wianta, the event
\nwill take place on Dec. 10, l999.<\/p>\n
The festival, which will cost about Rp 1.4 billion, will
\npresent a number of prominent figures, such as former South
\nAfrican president Nelson Mandela, spiritual leader Ibu Gedong
\nBagoes Oka and other distinguished artists and scholars from
\nIndonesia and overseas.<\/p>\n
During the festival, 2,000 female dancers will present various
\ndances and other forms of performing arts. The festival will be
\nhighlighted by the flying of huge and colorful banners carrying
\npeaceful messages.<\/p>\n
The banners will be carried by a helicopter flying from the
\nKelanting coast in Tabanan to over Sanur beach in Denpasar.<\/p>\n
On Dec. 20, Sanggar Dewata Indonesia, a group of Balinese
\nartists who graduated from art school in Yogyakarta, will hold a
\njoint painting exhibition in five museums in Bali: Museum Neka,
\nMuseum Agung Rai, Museum Rudana, Museum Gunarsa and Museum Bali.<\/p>\n
Activities planned by students of the Denpasar Arts Institute
\nare also worth seeing. By the end of December, l999, they will
\nhave jointly painted on a 2,000-meter-long piece of fabric to
\nwelcome in the year 2000.<\/p>\n
Approaching the next millennium, the Balinese art and cultural
\ncommunity will also see the completion of the controversial
\nGaruda Kencana statue by sculptor I Nyoman Nuarta.<\/p>\n
Construction of the grand statue was put on hold for a time
\ndue to the country's economic condition. But, it is now under way
\nagain and is expected to be erected on Bukit Ungasan, 15
\nkilometers south of Denpasar. The location is part of a planned
\n170-hectare cultural complex comprising art buildings and
\nfacilities, amphitheaters and green areas.<\/p>\n
In l993, the statue was estimated to cost Rp 60 billion. The
\ncost now has skyrocketed in response to the devaluation of rupiah
\nagainst the U.S. dollar.<\/p>\n
Nyoman Nuarta's Garuda project is one of the biggest and
\nfantastic millennial artwork expected to come out of Bali.<\/p>\n
There are, of course, many other events and activities to
\ngreet the new millennium. Bali's hotels, galleries and
\nrestaurants are also gearing up for the coming, and hopefully
\nbrighter, century.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bali-gearing-up-to-face-the-new-millennium-1447893297",
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