Islamic art still in short of supply in RI

JAKARTA (JP): Moslem art in Indonesia is not as varied or as widespread as it should be in a country that adopted Islam hundreds of years ago, a Moslem scholar said yesterday.

Moh. Ardani of the State Institute for Islamic Studies in Jakarta said he believed Indonesia can produce a lot more works of art that reflect the religion.

"What we have is not optimal yet. We only have certain works of (Islamic) art, such as calligraphy and literature," Ardani told a meeting being held on the sidelines of the ongoing second Istiqlal Festival of Islamic Art and Culture at Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque.

He said works of art which integrate Islamic teachings and traditional cultures can be considered Islamic art.

Ardani warned that Indonesia's traditional cultures and religious values are now threatened by the intrusion of Western culture, as a result of the rapid flow of information.

"We have to counter these (influences) with our own works of art," he said.

Noted film director Chaerul Umam said the development of Islamic arts in Indonesia should be the responsibility of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's reformist Moslem organization.

"Muhammadiyah has a good education tradition, compared with other Islamic organizations. It runs educational institutions everywhere -- from kindergartens to universities," Chaerul said.

"I wonder: Why they have not opened a special department in their institutions which teaches art?" he asked.

Ali Yafie, a deputy chairman of the Indonesian Council of Ulemas, said opening an Islamic arts department is not the only way of promoting the development of Islamic arts in Indonesia. "It can (also) be done by the publication of art works," he said.

Yafie said Islam's teachings are conducive to the development of art works.

The language of the Koran reflects high literature; its writing and the way the holy book should be recited are all arts, he added.

Propagators

He noted that the early propagators of Islam in Java, known as Wali Songo, used the wayang (shadow puppet theater), as their medium for spreading the religion.

Chaerul announced yesterday that an international Islamic film festival is being planned for next month, as part of the on-going Istiqlal festival.

So far, India, Malaysia, Turkey and Uzbekistan, as well as host Indonesia, have confirmed their participation in the festival, scheduled to run from Nov. 13 until Nov. 17, Chaerul said.

"We thought that Islamic countries didn't produce films. In fact we were mistaken. So this is a good opportunity to learn about other Moslem countries," he said.

The two-month Istiqlal Festival, which is being held at a cost of Rp 10 billion (US$4.4 million), features various arts and cultural products and performances that have been inspired by Islam.

One gallery of the Istiqlal Mosque has been given over to a display of various ancient and contemporary books and manuscripts, including the Koran. (31)