Jakarta and Beijing: Through the eyes of the beholders

Jakarta and Beijing: Through the eyes of the beholders

Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta

On Dec. 9 a fascinating photo exhibition opens in Jakarta.

Borrowing its title from Charles Dickens' famous novel A Tale
of Two Cities, it is of course not be comparable to Charles
Dickens' tale that involved London and Paris against the backdrop
of the French Revolution. Yet the pictorial narration by noted
photographer Oscar Motuloh of the Indonesian news agency Antara
and Zhuang Jin of the Chinese news agency Xinhua is as
fascinating as Dickens' masterful eloquence.

Jakarta and Beijing, two cities representing two of the most
populous countries in the world, have been the theme of a project
conceived by the Antara and Xinhua's chiefs some time ago. The
project offers a unique opportunity to bring together the two
metropolis in images that are more telling than words.

What strikes the Chinese photographer in the realms of the
capital city of Jakarta? Evidently, it's life itself.

For me, Jakarta is like a cocktail city with everyone
unfolding their own particular lifestyle, says Zhuang whose
pictures testify to his statement. Yet there is a distinct sense
of contrasts and the large disparity separating the population
into the more fortunate and the less fortunate.

A large image of Esprit and one of a high-heel shoes
advertisement stand as a comparison to the situation of the
vulnerable, the poor, whose children stare forlornly and with big
eyes amidst the ruins caused by fire or eviction. One also gets
the flavor of what it means to be in the midst of the heat of
demonstrations. Zhuang, however, also notes the smiles and the
fun that runs deep in the lives of the poor for whom the national
celebrations in the neighborhood provide a welcome break from
their daily routines.

Slightly different from Zhuang, Oscar Motuloh lets his third
eye see beyond realities, bringing together his natural instincts
incited by knowledge, personal visions and the artistic. His
professional skill brings into his images a reverberating depth,
making us aware of his stirring narrative and giving us a sense
of someone walking the old places of history and rich culture
without forgetting tragedies like the Tiennamen Square massacre,
and issues of separation and alienation.

In Beijing, Motuloh imagines how the face of China would be
like when the kids, known as the little emperors or xiao huangdi,
one-child policy generation, mature as leaders of their country.

Perhaps, even the far-reaching globalization would be unable
to uproot the age-old culture. At least, that is Motuloh's vision
when presenting his images that ponder the future, juxtaposing
the grounds of deep-rooted culture with historical events, the
influx of global trends, and recent developments.

The tale of Jakarta and Beijing evokes an awareness of the
striking differences in the face of some similarities. In
Jakarta, as presented by these images, it is the gap between the
rich and poor that comes to mind, while in Beijing cultural
heritage seems to play a role in the process of globalization.

It is this kind of portraits that may open the eyes and the
minds of city governments towards the realization of betterment.
In this sense, more projects of this kind might be commendable.

A Tale of Two Cities: Jakarta-Beijing
Opening Dec. 9 at Wisma Antara, Jakarta at 8 p.m. Exhibition from
Dec. 13, 2003 to Jan. 17, 2004. At Antara Photo Gallery, Jl.
Antara 54, Pasar Baru, Central Jakarta