Teater Utan Kayu presents international literature festiveal
Teater Utan Kayu presents international literature festiveal
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Enriching the country's cultural scene this year, Teater Utan
Kayu (TUK) is organizing its first Utan Kayu International
Literature Festival in three cities until Sept. 1.
"So far Indonesia doesn't have any routine activity in
literature. This year, Teater Utan Kayu will for the first time
organize a literature festival that will be held biannually,"
head of the festival, Ayu Utami, said.
The festival, this year themed Iman! (Faith!), highlights the
violence that has increased around the globe, inviting the public
to revisit their personal faiths, Ayu said.
"Whether traditional, modern, religious or secular, because
writers from many nations -- whether they realize it or not --
are all struggling with it (faith)," she explained.
Conducted in a series of activities in Bali on Aug. 22 to Aug.
24, Surakarta in Central Java on Aug. 25 and Aug. 26, and finally
in Jakarta on Aug. 28 to Sept. 1.
The Utan Kayu International Literature Festival follows the
annual The Hague festival, Winternachten Festival, overseas
project, which was previously held in Durban and Capetown, South
Africa, in March.
A workshop on Creative Sound Poetry has already been held in
Kuta, Bali, between Aug. 22 and Aug. 24, in cooperation with the
Vienna Poetry School. Best creations from the workshop will be
presented at the closing of the Utan Kayu International
Literature Festival at Jamz Cafe, Jakarta, and recorded on audio
CD.
Poetry readings will be held at Taman Budaya Surakarta in
Surakarta, Central Java, on Aug. 25 and Aug. 26, which featured
literati from the Winternachten Festival, including Changa
Hickinson and South African writer K. Sello Duiker, as well as
local poets Mustofa Bisri and Ahmad Tohari.
A sound poetry exhibition based on the Vienna Poetry School
collection, titled Voices on Paper, will be held on Aug. 25 to
Aug. 31 at Galeri Lontar.
"It's contradictory because it shouldn't be possible to
present sound poetry on paper. But it appears that European sound
poets could not dismiss paper altogether," Ayu said in a
statement, explaining that the exhibit will include music scores
used in sound poetry.
Finally, the festival will end in Jakarta with a discussion
and poetry reading participated in by 28 literati from Australia,
Austria, South Africa, the Netherlands, Germany, Malaysia,
Suriname, St. Maarten, Antilles and Indonesia.
"Besides poetry reading, a presentation of some collaborative
projects will be the festival's strong point," Ayu said, citing
one of Eva Christina Zeller's poems in her Requiem collection
being used as foundation for Tony Prabowo's contemporary music
and sung by Ubiet.
The Voices on Paper exhibition is open at Galeri Lontar, Jl. Utan
Kayu 68H, East Jakarta, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. until Aug. 31.
Teater Utan Kayu International Literature Festival in Jakarta
will open on Aug. 28, and will last until Aug. 31. Tickets are
available at Teater Utan Kayu, Jl. Utan Kayu 68H, East Jakarta.
For more information call 021-8573388.