Bandung ITB holds art festival

BANDUNG (JP): Several types of traditional art, along with modern and contemporary art, will be highlighted at the Bandung Technology Institute's (ITB) Pasar Seni (art festival) 2000.

Scheduled for July 9 at the institute's campus, the festival is organized by the institute's School of Fine Arts (FSRD) in cooperation with members of the community.

The festival was scheduled to be held in 1998 but it was delayed due to the country's political turmoil and economic crisis.

"It's really difficult to plan and manage activities this huge," said painter Tisna Sanjaya, one of the event's supervisors.

The idea for the art festival can be traced back to 1972, when a member of the School of Fine Arts' student association, Abdoel Djalil Piroes, came up with the plan for the event. The first festival was held in August 1972 and this year's festival has provoked nostalgia for all those who were involved in the first one.

Apart from traditional art, folk art and modern and contemporary art, this year's festival will also provide numerous stalls offering art work from paintings, drawings and sculptures to food, accessories, traditional and modern kebaya (women's traditional dress), shirts and shoes.

The participating artists -- young and senior -- come from, among other areas, Jakarta, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Bali.

There will be various attractions to entertain those coming out to the event. Included are fashion shows and a soccer allegory titled Arts for Soccer and Soccer for Arts, which will be performed by several soccer teams in Bandung.

"We need fair play whether it is in the arts, soccer matches, politics, or within the government," explained Tisna.

Check out the event's website on the net at www.pasarseni- itb.com. (Wawan S. Husin)