Exhibition week at Puppet Museum

Exhibition week at Puppet Museum

Leony Aurora , The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Traditional art lovers can enjoy performances of wayang (shadow
puppets), dances and music as well as an exhibition from Aug. 13
until Aug. 26 at the Puppet Museum in Kota, West Jakarta.

The Second Puppet Museum Week, held to commemorate the
museum's 29th anniversary on Aug. 13, will entertain Jakartans
with an all-night wayang golek (wooden puppet) performance,
beginning after sunset on Friday until the dawn breaks the
following day.

Two wayang orang (Javanese opera based on Mahabharata or
Ramayana epics) shows and one wayang kancil performance, with the
mouse deer as its primary character, were likely to amuse
audiences, organizers said.

"This year's event is far more festive than last year's, which
had only one puppet show," said museum director Rini Hariyani on
Friday after the opening ceremony by Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso.

The museum has chosen Kyai Intan shadow leather puppets, which
sparkle with artificial diamonds, and Ngabean puppets from
Yogyakarta as its main displays in the exhibition. Visitors can
view the more than 800 puppets in the museum's collection from 9
a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Entrance tickets cost only Rp 2,500 (27
U.S. cents) each.

"We expect to attract around 10,000 visitors, double that of
the first event," Rini said.

To provide more space and improve services, the museum plans
to expand into an adjacent building, which was recently donated
to the city administration by business tycoon Probosutedjo, the
stepbrother of former president Soeharto.

In the search for the best design for the museum expansion
project, a competition was held, with the winners Ahmad and Wendy
Djuhara.

In their design, the museum will occupy 1,045 square meters of
additional space, with a total area of 2,774 square meters.

"There will be a performance area that will be able to
accommodate about 100 spectators," Wendy said. The design also
accommodates facilities for the handicapped and has a restaurant.

Suryadi of the City Culture and Museum Agency said that Rp 2
billion had been allocated from this year's city budget for the
project. Another Rp 7 billion would be allotted in next year's
budget, he said.

"We expect to begin structural works this year," said Suryadi.

Rini said the museum would not be closed completely during the
construction and renovations, which were expected to be finished
in 2006. "However, we may need to close certain sections (of the
museum) for some time," she added.

I-box:
Art performances in Puppet Museum and adjacent Fatahillah Square

Saturday, Aug. 14, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Wayang Kancil (a shadow puppet show with animal characters) with
puppeteer Sri Sulansih Warsito performing The Clever Mouse Deer
Wednesday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m. - 12 a.m.
Discussion on "Wayang existence in the era of reform and
globalization" with speakers Arswendo Atmowiloto and Singgih
Wibisono and a Balinese dance performance.
Friday, Aug. 20, 6:30 p.m. - 6 a.m. (the next day)
Karawitan Sunda (West Java traditional orchestra) performance and
an all-night long wayang golek (wooden puppet) show with
puppeteer Eka Supriyadi playing Tumult in the Motherland
Saturday, Aug. 21, 6.30 p.m. - midnight
A Karawitan performance by students and wayang orang playing
Ramayana.

Source: Puppet Museum