Art summit offers respite from crisis
Art summit offers respite from crisis
JAKARTA (JP): Forget the crisis. Forget the weakening rupiah
and the soaring prices of rice and other basic commodities.
The time is approaching to indulge yourself with prime performing
arts.
Sixteen quality local and international groups are in town to
perform at the second art summit with the theme: Enlightment in
the Crisis.
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty
Eradication Haryono Suyono is scheduled to open the month-long
event at Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Central Jakarta on
Sept. 19.
Hailed as the most prestigious art festival here, it will
present dances, dramas and music concerts from nine countries:
Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Spain, the
Netherlands and the United States. Participants will perform at
Taman Ismail Marzuki's Graha Bhakti Budaya and at Gedung Kesenian
Jakarta (Jakarta Playhouse).
Noted choreographer Gusmiati Suid, founder of the Gumarang
Sakti Dance Company, will kick off the festival with the group's
latest work, Api Dalam Sekam (Fire in the Chaff), at Gedung
Kesenian Jakarta.
The group is famous for its contemporary choreography with
notable influence from the Minangkabau, or West Sumatra.
Alvin Lucier, a pioneer of contemporary music in the United
States, will perform with 12 highly reputable musicians,
including local gamelan experts, on Sept. 21 and Sept. 22. They
will also perform at the playhouse.
While performing at the arts center, Rendra and his Bengkel
Theater are scheduled to stage his 1975s work, Suku Naga (Dragon
Tribe), on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23.
Yukio Waguri of Japan's experimental dance company Butoh will
perform on Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 at Taman Ismail Marzuki.
On Sept. 25 and Sept. 26, composer Toni Prabowo will play his
compositions Autumnal Steps and Pembakaran Sinta (Sinta's
Burning) at the playhouse.
A contemporary theater group, El-Warsha of Egypt, will perform
Spinning Lives, an epic with eastern and western Arabs on stage,
at the arts center on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30.
German dance group Bremer Tanztheater will feature their
latest works, Also Egmont Bitte and Frauenballett/Heisse Luft, at
the playhouse on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.
French composers Musicatreize will entertain audiences with
their "humoristique" compositions at the arts center on Oct. 2
and Oct. 3.
A modern-classic music concert by Dutch artists Theo Loevendie
and Insomnio group on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 will be staged at the
playhouse.
This will be followed by local choreographer Miroto's
presentation of a riot-inspired dance performance, Kembang Sampah
(Garbage Flower) on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 at the playhouse.
Jin Hi Kim and three other composers from the United States
will demonstrate their skills at the arts center on Oct. 7 and
Oct. 8.
Gamelan-dominated compositions Wulan and Bamban created by
Suka Hardjana will be staged on Oct. 9 and Oct. 10 at the
playhouse, while playwright Putu Wijaya and his Theater Mandiri
will perform Ngeh (Understand), a compilation of his worst
experiences during the May 14 riots, at the arts center on Oct.
11 and Oct. 12.
Spanish dancers will also take part in the summit by
performing dances at the playhouse on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14.
Japanese composer Tsuchitori Toshiyuki and the Spiral Arms
will play their compositions on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16 at the arts
center.
The last performance will feature Finish female composer Kaija
Saariaho and her Petal Ensemble, on Oct. 18 and Oct. 19 at the
playhouse.
A dialog: The Problem of Multiculturalism and Exploration of
Local Sources, will also be held at Alia Hotel in Central Jakarta
on Sept. 23 and Sept. 24. Speakers include Alvin Lucier, who is a
lecturer at Connecticut's Wesleyan University, Dieter Mack of
Germany, Sal Murgianto of Indonesia, Chua Soo Pong of Singapore
and Takahashi Yuji of Japan.
The Ministry of Education's and Culture Director General of
Culture Edi Sedyawati said the second art summit was expected to
be better than the first one held in 1995.
"In terms of quality, the first art summit was warmly
greeted... many people complimented the performances. So at
least, we hope the second art summit will be of the same quality
as the first one," Edi told journalists on Tuesday.
The event is held every three years to allow organizers enough
time to make preparations, including the selecting of prospective
performers, she said.
"If we're going to hold a third art summit, we should start
making preparations right after the second art summit," Edi said.
Tickets are available at the venues at prices ranging from Rp
25,000 to Rp 10,000. Students get a 50 percent discount from the
lowest rate. (ste)