JakArt@2003 hits shopping malls across the city

Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ask anyone here what she or he would prefer to do: a) go to a shopping mall or b) watch a dance performance. It is likely that the answer would be a).

Shopping malls have become the place to hang out, not just for children and teenagers, but also adults, who might never step into a playhouse like Gedung Kesenian Jakarta or the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center (TIM).

"Art is not a substantial part of our educational system, it is treated as an extracurricular activity, making its presence intangible in our life," Ary Sutedja, secretary-general of JakArt@2003, the city's annual arts festival, said.

Therefore, she said that this year Jakart@2003 also enhanced its program by bringing art to the shopping malls, in an effort to build its audience.

Among the shopping malls that host the Jakart@2003 are Senayan Square at the Plaza Senayan in South Jakarta, Plaza Indonesia and Atrium Senen in Central Jakarta, Kelapa Gading Mall in East Jakarta, Lippo Karawaci Mall in Tangerang and Citraland in West Jakarta.

"By nature, if we have to go to the malls to promote art, we will go there or any other place for that matter," Ary continued.

"It is also a fact that there are more shopping malls in the city than theaters or art galleries," said Ary.

JakArt has been held since 2001 with the goal of providing artists with venues, as places that are willing to accommodate artists' self-expression are scarce and the public's interest in the arts low.

Ary expressed concern that people's awareness of art was diminishing, overwhelmed by the need to prioritize economic prosperity as if traumatized by the country's economic crisis.

The presence of shopping malls has apparently become more significant than the presence of well-equipped theaters in the city, where performing artists can express themselves through art, she said.

"People leave museums and art galleries as no investment has been made in strategic efforts to get people to like, understand and appreciate art," she said.

During JakArt@2003, some 900 performances and events -- local and international -- will be presented in some 150 venues and locations.

Meanwhile, responses varied on the efforts of the JakArt organizing committee to promote art. For example, Dicky, 20, a student from Trisakti University said that he would not go to see any theatrical performances even if they were presented at shopping malls, where he liked to hang out.

"No, I am not interested in watching art performances, even if they are presented here at PS (Plaza Senayan). The fact is that most of the time I do not understand artistic shows or performances. For me, art is simply rock bands and action movies," he said.

But Neneng, 31, a manager at a private bank, said that she welcomed the introduction of cultural performances at shopping malls as it combined two things that she loved.

"I love it and I have always attended performances or shows at shopping malls since the first JakArt, although I do not see that what the committee is doing is significant for the development of the arts. I see the same audience at malls, theaters or galleries," she said.

Mikhail David, vice chairman of JakArt@2003, said that to achieve a positive response from the public to his organization's initiative to promote art including bringing it to shopping malls was more complex than it appeared.

"People must be introduced to creative thinking to be able to appreciate art while our educational system does not adequately support creative thinking.

"That is what we are trying to do here. We would like to expose art to a new audience as the current exposure is lacking in this city," he said.

Schedule of JakArt2003 at shopping malls: ------------------------------------------ Date Venue Event

(to come)