Arts activities enliven the island of the gods
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)