Lontar gallery realizes 'Tempo's dream
JAKARTA (JP): Tempo magazine no longer exists but its old dreams are still alive.
Among its dreams was to build an integrated complex where the magazine's office stands, together with other facilities considered as important for those working for the press, including a theater, gallery and conference room.
"With the gallery, we show that we are close to artists from early on," said Fikri Juffri, the magazine's former editor.
To this end, they had bought a 6,000 square meter plot of land on Jl. TB Simatupang, South Jakarta.
Unfortunately, the magazine's closure by the government in June 1994 jeopardized the whole plan.
While waiting for the government to reissue their license, the magazine sold its properties one by one -- including the land on Jl. TB Simatupang -- so that its former staff could survive.
A number of former employees who still cherished the dream then bought a two-storied warehouse and its adjacent plot on Jl. Utan Kayu, East Jakarta.
Its second floor functions as a gallery, called Lontar Gallery. The first floor serves as a shop, where products of the Lontar Foundation are sold.
The Lontar Foundation was established in 1987 to promote Indonesian culture and literature. Its activities include translating Indonesian literary works
"We deliberately named the gallery after the foundation, since the foundation has had a wide art network at home and abroad," said Fikri.
The gallery was officially opened last week by Muhammad Sofjan, assistant to the tourism, post and telecommunications minister in charge of facility and infrastructure affairs, in a ceremony attended by several artists and authors, including novelist Umar Kayam and author Pramudya Ananta Toer.
Minister Joop Ave was not on hand to open the gallery as was scheduled.
The selection of items to be exhibited at the gallery is undertaken by a board of curators, including several artists and art critics of the former Tempo. They include Umar Kayam, Bambang Bujono, Jim Supangkat, S. Prinka, Sri Malela Mahargasari, Goenawan Mohamad and Hildawati Soemantri.
The gallery is now exhibiting graphic artwork and drawings by Firman until the end of May. Following Firman's exhibit, the gallery will display the graphic artwork of Tisna Sanjaya in June, the ceramics of Suyatna in July, the glass painting and graphic artwork of Hariyadi Suadi in August, and the paintings of Semsar Siahaan in October.
Fikri said that aside from holding exhibitions, the gallery's management will also routinely hold discussions on art, films, literature, theater and philosophy in the 120-square-meter gallery. Downstairs, on the first floor, visitors can purchase translations by the Lontar Foundation of Indonesia's best literature as well as various souvenirs, including T-shirts, calendars, posters and notebooks made of recycled paper.
Besides the above, there is an open-air cafe, which was opened the same night. Its target visitors are artists, intellectuals and journalists. The cafe is called Tempo cafe "to show how significant the magazine is to us," said Fikri. (jsk)