Seventeen groups gear up for Art Summit<\/p>\n
By Stevie Emilia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Art lovers, get ready to whet your appetite. A
\nstrong lineup of reputable international and local artists will
\ntake part in the Third Art Summit Indonesia 2001 International
\nFestival on Contemporary Performing Arts, which lasts a whole
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Two world premieres by international artists, five new works
\nalong with other creations presented by 17 troupes coming from 10
\ncountries -- Australia, China, Egypt, England, Germany,
\nIndonesia, Japan, Korea, Italy and the Netherlands -- will grab
\nyour attention.<\/p>\n
A unique dance troupe from Australia, Strange Fruit, will open
\nthe festival on Monday evening, Aug. 27, at Plaza Senayan's
\nterrace with an alluring show: female dancers clad in colorful
\ndome-shaped gowns and male dancers in black suits stand on top of
\nfour-meter high elastic poles.<\/p>\n
With music in the background, the group, which won the
\nprestigious Myer Performing Arts Group Award in Sydney last year
\nand which has performed in various international events, will
\npresent three pieces -- The Field, Flight and Swoon -- for free.
\nThose who are not invited to the opening ceremony can watch the
\nshow the next day at the same time and place.<\/p>\n
Local artists<\/p>\n
During the Art Summit, art buffs will also have the
\nopportunity to enjoy new works by renowned local artists. From
\nsix Indonesian groups, only one will front up with old material.<\/p>\n
New choreography by dancer-choreographer Boi G. Sakti, Ritus-
\nRitus Kesucian (Rites of Holiness), will be presented in two
\nparts -- Tradisi dan Mimpi Buruk (Tradition and Nightmare) and
\nMitos-Mitos Kecemasan (Myths of Anxiety).<\/p>\n
Through his new work, the 35-year-old son of well-known
\nchoreographer Gusmiati Suid is trying to build imagination,
\ndepicting women who are deprived of their basic rights and then
\ntrying to set themselves free.<\/p>\n
Through this piece, Boi, who has taken part in many
\ninternational events, describes the grim reality of women who are
\ntortured, helpless against tradition, politics, economics and
\nmodernity.<\/p>\n
Two musicians -- I Nyoman Winda and AL Suwardi -- will entice
\nthe audience with their new compositions.<\/p>\n
Balinese musician I Nyoman Winda will harmonize gamelan music
\nthrough his new piece Gugatan Bambu (Bamboo Demand), played by 12
\nmusicians including himself.<\/p>\n
The new piece was created after the musician realized the
\nBali traditional music is dominated by percussion instruments,
\ninspiring him to use suling (traditional flute) as a dominant
\ninstrument in his new creation.<\/p>\n
The 50-year-old AL Suwardi will entertain music lovers with
\nenchanting compositions, exploring newly made gentha (traditional
\nbells). Through his new work, the Surakarta-based Indonesia Arts
\nInstitute lecturer is trying to revive the vanishing instrument
\nthat originated from Surakarta Palace.<\/p>\n
Rachman Sabur's Payung Hitam will present Peter Handke's
\nKaspar, which has been performed at several events but is
\nconsidered the group's best. Actor-director-writer Rachman Sabur
\nhas so far directed 45 plays, either his own works or those by
\nrenowned playwrights like Samuel Beckett's Menunggu Godot
\n(Waiting for Godot) and Nikolai Gogol's Inspektur Jendral
\n(General Inspector).<\/p>\n
Big names -- choreographer Farida Oetoyo of the Kreativitat
\nDance Indonesia and N. Riantiarno's Teater Koma -- will also
\nstage their refreshing creations at the event.<\/p>\n
Foreign nuances<\/p>\n
Not everything is new; foreign troupes taking part in the
\nevent will present reputable creations -- dance, music and plays
\n-- which have been performed at noted international festivals.<\/p>\n
Exploration of body language will be presented by Guangdong
\nmodern dance troupe from China. Set up in 1992, the first
\ncontemporary dance troupe in China is here with its successful A
\nTacit Assembly and I Want to Fly, which were staged last year at
\nthe prestigious Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.<\/p>\n
Choreographed by Becky Edmunds and Charlie Morrisey, the
\ndancers collaborate in A Tacit Assembly to blend body language
\nwith expression and dynamic movements, while in I Want to Fly,
\nLin Pai Shi promises an impulsive short dance, full of dance
\nritual, intrigue and humor.<\/p>\n
Bangladesh-born artist Akhram Khan from England will stage
\ncontemporary Indian kathak dance at the Art Summit. The winner of
\nthe Jerwood Choreography Award, London in 1999 will perform with
\nhis best team comprising Nithin Sawhney, Michael Hulls, Andy
\nCowton, Moya Michael and Gwyn Emberton.<\/p>\n
Three pieces scheduled to be performed here -- 15-minute Fix,
\nfive-minute Loose in Flight and 30-minute Rush -- promise dynamic
\nand explosive dances inspired by the energy of sufi, Muslim and
\nabstract dances.<\/p>\n
Three choreographies -- Flower of Existence, the Flower of
\nVanity, The Marriage of Blood and Waiting -- will be part of the
\nKim Bock Hee contemporary dance company's performance at the
\ninternational event.<\/p>\n
For the last 30 years, Kim Bok Hee, one of Korea's legendary
\ndancers, has reflected and interpreted Korea's way of thinking
\nand Buddhism philosophy into her creations.<\/p>\n
Tarantula Hypertext O'rchestra from Italy will display what a
\npoetical phenomenon it is with its music, Yuji Takahashi from
\nJapan will present Japanese traditional string instruments sangen
\nand koto, while Dutch musicians Trio Braam -- comprising bassist
\nWilbert De Joode, drummer Michael Vatcher and pianist Michael
\nBraam -- bring a different atmosphere with their exploration of
\njazz music.<\/p>\n
Japanese theater troupe Black Tent Theater will play the
\nseventh interpretation of Georg Buchner's Woyzeck. Directed by
\nMakoto Sato K., this 105-minute play was based on a
\npsychiatrist's notes on a man who was convicted and hanged for
\nkilling his mistress in 1821.<\/p>\n
Unique theater group El Warsha of Egypt will also entertain
\npeople with their unique show staged inside a specially-designed
\ntent and specially-ordered yellow sand. The famous Egyptian
\ntroupe, which was established in 1987, is finally making it to
\nthe Art Summit after missing out on the previous event in 1998.
\nThe troupe will stage Spinning Lives (Ghazl el Amaar), which has
\nbeen performed in various events, such as in Jordan, Iran and
\nEqypt.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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