Arts activities enliven the island of the gods

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): A collaborative performing arts exhibition involving artists and students is expected to revitalize the fading cultural city of Denpasar.

Dozens of artists from different ethnic and religious backgrounds will hold a joint performance titled Ngalap Bulan (Catching the Moon) at Taman Budaya (Cultural Park) Denpasar on Saturday, March 11.

The performance will feature traditional Balinese dances, a rebana (tambourine) group performing Islamic music and a barongsay (lion dance) troupe from Griya Konco Tanah Kilap, a sacred location for local Chinese-Indonesians.

Members of the Sanggar Kukuruyuk children's art group in Denpasar and students from Denpasar's SMU I high school will also take part in the event.

"Denpasar has grown as a multicultural city which is home to people from different places. This performance aims at showing the city's cultural diversity," artist and journalist Rai Sulastra said.

From March 8 to early April, Denpasar's junior and high school students will take part in art, music and dance contests.

Rucitadewi, an organizer of the event, said the contests would encourage the young to study traditional arts.

"It is a forum for grooming talented artists and a regeneration process," Rucita said.

The fine arts will be showcased with a number of major painting exhibitions, such as the exhibition of the work of Jeihan at Darga Gallery in Sanur from March 4 to March 31.

During the opening of the exhibition, Jeihan also launched his biography, Jeihan Jeihan, written by Mamannoor and translated into French by Jean Couteau.

Darga Gallery brought Jeihan's work to Paris last November.

In cooperation with Lansberg Gallery in Paris, Jeihan's exhibition attracted the attention of art-conscious Parisians.

"The exhibition was very successful. The appreciation from Parisians was encouraging," said Jais Hadiana Dargawijaya, owner of the Darga Gallery.

The gallery has been active in displaying the works of master painters, including Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and local painters like Ida Bagus Made Poleng.

It also supports the development of the fine arts in Bali by providing young artists the opportunity to exhibit their works at the gallery.

Other art exhibitions include the show at Museum Bali in Denpasar, featuring artists from the Denpasar Arts Institute.

The thriving art scene in Denpasar has been supported by Mayor Anak Agung Puspayoga from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.

"The mayor has taken the right steps. He acts more like an artist than a bureaucrat," said one arts observer.

Other programs include the Contemporary Theater Festival in Ubud from March 18 to March 20.

The event aims to inspire a dialogue between Bali's theater performers and writers, and is being organized by Media Appresiasi Independen.

Among the participants are Teater Galon from Negara, which presents a blend of theatrical and musical elements such as rebana and Malay music. The unique style of the Bali Experimental Theater will also be on display. The group seeks to transcend the use of dialogue by communicating with its audience through symbols which represent the darker aspects of human nature.

Singaraja, North Bali, will send Unit Teater Kampus Seribu Jendala to the festival. This group will stage Proyek Nasi Sengau, a piece which combines music, theater, visual arts and ritual to address social issues.

Teater Orok-Orok from Denpasar will perform Swan Song, which was written by noted playwright W.S. Rendra. (zen)