Artists oppose Borobudur International Festival
Artists oppose Borobudur International Festival
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
The Borobudur International Festival that will take place from
June 11 to June 17 is being opposed by local artists and cultural
activists due to its huge budget of Rp 10 billion (US$1.22
million).
Cultural activist Priyoto said on Thursday that the public
must keep an eye out for the possible misuse of the money, half
of which will come from the Central Java administration.
He said the suspicion was triggered by the administration's
plan to build a mega-project the Jagad Jawa arts market in the
Borobudur temple compound.
The project is opposed by local vendors who will not be able
to sell merchandise and souvenirs to tourists at the temple.
Instead, they must rent kiosks at the market, located two
kilometers from the temple.
A Borobudur temple observer, Susanto Mendut, also questioned
the plan to hold such an international-scale festival.
"Why would the administration want to popularize Borobudur?
It's already well known around the world. This festival is just a
project to spend the people's money," said Susanto, who also
opposes the construction of Jagad Jawa.
Central Java tourism board head Henky Hermantoro said the
money was needed to provide accommodation for foreign
participants from Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea,
Vietnam, Thailand, the United States, Australia and the
Philippines.
The festival itself was being held to commemorate the 20th
anniversary of the temple's major renovation by the United
Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Seminars, exhibitions and competitions will mark the festival,
which will also take place in Semarang and Surakarta besides the
Borobudur temple compound.
To show their opposition, the artists and activists will stage
the Borobudur Agitative and the Kampong Festival in the Borobudur
temple parking lot and Langgeng gallery and studio in Magelang,
Central Java, respectively. Both events will be held from June 12
to June 27.
"Both events are staged to educate our bureaucrats on how to
run an international-scale festival with a small budget and one
that involves the local community," Susanto said.
Dedy Irianto of Langgeng gallery and studio said that both
events would take place regularly in the future.
"My personal reason is to encourage artists and activists to
create in Magelang with Borobudur as the inspiration," he said.
The low-budget event will involve big names in Indonesia's
cultural fields. Poet WS Rendra, architect Marco Kusumawijaya,
cultural observer Sindhunata, and painters Dede Eri Supria, Djoko
Pekik, Made Wianta and Tisna Sanjaya are among participants
confirmed for both events.