Paintings by Spies to go on exhibit

JAKARTA (JP): To celebrate Indonesia's 50th Independence anniversary, the Goethe Institut Jakarta in cooperation with Ministry of Culture and Education will hold a paintings exhibition called "Walter Spies in Indonesia" at Wisma Seni Rupa, Gambir, Central Jakarta, from Sept. 15 to 24.

The exhibition will feature 10 original paintings of German artist Spies (1895-1942), four of which courtesy of the State Presidential Palace. The paintings of 17 Balinese artists influenced by Spies will also be on display.

The exhibition will also screen a documentary film on Moscow- born Spies and its closing ceremony traditional Balinese dances will include a performance by dancer Bulantrisna Djelantik, artist Teguh Ostenrik and composer Alex Dea.

Spies, who lived in Indonesia from 1923 to 1942, moved to Bali in 1927. He not only had a strong influence on local painters through his "magic realism" style, but his choreography of one of Bali's most famous dances, the Kecak, is the one we know today.

While Spies has a well-known reputation in Bali, he remains virtually unknown in Germany and other European countries. (als)