Composer seeks tranquility in home studio<\/p>\n
Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A high, exposed brick wall and tall bamboo plants almost
\ncompletely shield the small studio of composer Tony Prabowo from
\noutside view.<\/p>\n
Located on narrow Jl. Tridarma in Cilandak, South Jakarta, the
\ntwo-story studio has the typical ambience of a Javanese-style
\nhome, in which tranquility reigns. Designed by architect Suwarmo
\nSupeno of PT Paramaloka Consultant, the atmosphere inside belies
\nthe forbidding outlook created by the brick wall and the bamboo
\nplants, set up to seclude the studio from the high-density
\nneighborhood.<\/p>\n
A minimalist front garden, covered by loose natural stones and
\nembellished with leafy plants in terracota pots, greets guests on
\ntheir way to the terrace. Once there, visitors can catch a
\nglimpse of a relaxing view from a rear garden that is packed with
\ntropical plants like philodendron, syngonium, heliconia, and
\nepipremnum.<\/p>\n
The artistic terrace has wooden furniture such as gebyog
\n(Javanese partition), a Chinese table at one corner, a round
\ntable in the center with a bale-bale (traditional long chair) and
\nwoven rattan chairs. Several posters hang on the wall.<\/p>\n
In this very terrace, the composer keeps some of his favorite
\ncollections: clay pots, traditional masks, ethnic statues and
\nold, antique dishes.<\/p>\n
All of these items radiate palpable Javanese nuances, which
\nTony firmly denied. "I'm a Javanese but it's not my aim to create
\na Javanese atmosphere. I'm very modern," said the composer, who
\nuses his studio as his home as well.<\/p>\n
The studio's ground floor has a small living room furnished
\nwith interesting antique items like a huge cistern made of timber
\nand a set of antique woven rattan chairs with a round table at
\nthe center. There is also a neatly cluttered table in the corner
\nand a whiteboard on the wall, recording his busy schedule.<\/p>\n
Tony also displays some posters and paintings by Tisna Sanjaya
\nand young painter Shawnee Puti, as well as hundreds of items from
\nhis beautiful ethnic cloth collection, hung loosely along the
\nrailing of the second floor.<\/p>\n
"I love (traditional) cloth -- I have hundreds; some are
\nantique and the rest are just beautiful cloth from Sumba, Cirebon
\nand other parts of Java. I also want to collect Madura cloth.
\nWhat does cloth have to do with music? I don't know," he said,
\nwhile showing some of the antique ones.<\/p>\n
"I love to collect leather objects and carpets, but carpets
\nare too expensive. I also have dozens of uniquely shaped kemoceng
\n(dusters)," he laughed, adding that he couldn't stand dust.<\/p>\n
The extensive ground floor of his studio is used for
\npracticing and recording. "I need a multipurpose area to
\naccommodate all my activities," the composer said.<\/p>\n
On the second floor is a multifunction area where he works,
\nunwinds and sleeps. The small area is divided into a study and
\nwork section. There is a bed on one side and a set of furniture
\nwith a marble coffee table and a water dispenser on the other.<\/p>\n
The room is packed (yet still organized) with books, compact
\ndiscs and papers. "I find the smaller the room, the more I can
\nconcentrate on my job," he explained.<\/p>\n
As for his love of musical instruments, pots, cloth and
\nleather goods that adorn the interior of his studio, Tony just
\nsaid, "I love hunting for those items, I forget everything else
\nwhen buying those things. It's crazy and dangerous. Fortunately,
\nI'm single, otherwise ... ," he did not finish his sentence.<\/p>\n
As if trying to apologize for the overcrowded space, the
\ndesigner said, "This is the home of a single man. I practically
\nliving in this studio now. I sleep on that bed. When I wake up, a
\ncup of coffee, bread and newspaper are ready on this table. After
\nthat, I play with my dogs (Bowie and Ciaro) and go to the garden
\nto remove dead leaves. Then I go upstairs to work and make some
\nphone calls, but later return to the garden to join my servant to
\ntake care of the plants," he said.<\/p>\n
Just a house away from his studio is his home, built under the
\nsame roof as that of his neighbor Desy Harahap. The small, yet
\nartistic house has a beautiful old carved, wooden door.<\/p>\n
Inside is an extensive room divided into a living area,
\npantry, bathroom and garden. The living room is furnished with
\nfurniture he bought mainly from Yogyakarta and two shelves to
\ndisplay some of his musical instruments, mostly tambourines from
\ndifferent countries.<\/p>\n
Just like his studio, the house also has a rear garden,
\ncontaining a koi fish pond.<\/p>\n
Tony has used a beautiful gebyog as a partition, leading to
\nhis bedroom on the second story.<\/p>\n
The bedroom is equipped with a huge, rustic bench made from
\nrough-hewn timber, some antique cabinets, a four-poster bed and a
\nlow, round table. It is also equipped with a small study. "I
\nhaven't slept in this room for ages. I find it easier to wake up
\nat the same place as I work," he said, referring to his studio.<\/p>\n
"But that doesn't mean I don't like this house. I'm lucky to
\nhave a home but I need a larger one, large enough to accommodate
\nmusic and dance performance with a larger garden, in Yogyakarta,
\nwhere the atmosphere for arts, culture and music is still
\nencouraging," he said.<\/p>\n
That is a dream home, which he plans to put together after he
\nhas completed his performance in Berlin next year.<\/p>",
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