TIM marks 30th anniversary with problems

By Rita A. Widiadana

JAKARTA (JP): On the morning of Nov. 10, hundreds of young civilian security guards armed with long bamboo sticks, spears and other sharp weapons converged on the main gate of Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) arts center, which was celebrating its 30th anniversary.

These combative youngsters were not invited by TIM's management to safeguard the center or to participate in the anniversary celebration. Neither were they there to commemorate National Heroes' Day, which falls on the same date.

Their presence at TIM was meant to prevent Amien Rais, a noted reform leader who now chairs the National Mandate Party, from delivering his cultural speech at Graha Bhakti Budaya to mark the opening of November Festival, a month-long anniversary program.

Although Amien finally reached the stage and presented his speech, Culture and Power, the atmosphere at the center was as tense as in another part of Jakarta, which was hosting the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly.

TIM's anniversary this year was very ironic and depressing. TIM has been regarded as an oasis for the arts and culture. But the scene at TIM on Tuesday was a symbol of a power intrusion on the people's freedom of expression.

At the age of 30, TIM is facing a lot of challenging problems concerning its major roles as the center for the freedom of artistic and intellectual expression, as stated by its founding fathers.

TIM's general manager, Wisnumurti, admitted that TIM has been working very hard to maintain its position.

"We are facing different conditions but the spirit of TIM will remain the same," Wisnumurti said.

TIM, established under the auspices of former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, brought a ray of hope to many Indonesian artists who had long dreamed of having a cultural center where they could express their artistic creation freely.

The construction of art facilities was completed on Nov. 10, 1968. It is located on the former site of a park of the famous painter Raden Saleh's residence, Jl. Cikini Raya, Central Jakarta, then used as the city's zoological park.

The newly established TIM consisted of, among others, Teater Arena (open-door theater), Teater Tertutup (close-door theater), an office building, a film center, a fine arts galleries and a planetarium.

Playwright Putu Wijaya remembered that artists in Jakarta were enthusiastic about welcoming this new arts center. "We were like kids who were given a new toy," Putu recalled.

A few years later, the 5.5-hectare arts center had more facilities added, including a 800-seat Graha Bhakti Budaya Hall, campus building of the Jakarta Arts Institute and the H.B. Jassin Literary Documentation Center.

TIM became a parameter of artistic achievement. TIM has contributed greatly to the emergence of highly reputable artists, including, just to name a few: Oesman Effendi, Roesli, Popo Iskandar and Affandi in fine arts; Wahyu Sihombing, W.S. Rendra, Putu Wijaya and Nano Riantiarno in theater; Teguh Karya, Slamet Rahardjo, D. Djayakusuma and Ami Priyono in film; and Taufiq Ismail, H.B. Jassin and Sutardjo C. Bachrie in literature.

In its so far 30 years of existence, TIM has had its share of ups and downs. Many artists have claimed that TIM is paralyzed now.

"TIM has been undergoing serious setbacks. It has ceased to blaze the trail for the country's art and cultural activities, especially in the past 10 years," playwright W.S. Rendra once said.

Putu, however, added that since its establishment, TIM has faced several major problems.

"TIM doesn't only deal with artists but also with bureaucrats and audiences. It is also closely involved with funding and artistic management. It is a complicated business," Putu said.

Adie Moersid, chairman of the Jakarta Arts Foundation, a body which is responsible for financially supporting TIM's art programs, admitted that TIM's vitality must be revived.

"We are now undergoing a series of projects to improve TIM's software and hardware," said Adie, who is also the rector of the Jakarta Arts Institute.

Physically, he said, TIM needs major improvements. A gradual and an integrated renovation project to develop TIM into a modern and sophisticated art center is underway.

"The construction of the planned Grand Theater has been halted temporary because of the economic crisis. I hope we can find ways of collecting more funds to resume the project," said Adie.

In addition to physical problems, TIM is also facing serious problems with its management and human resources development.

"If we want to develop a modern art center, we must be ready to operate them. Meaning that we should have people who are competent to do so," he said.

At present, TIM is jointly working with the Ford Foundation, which provides grants, to upgrade the management skills of TIM's personnel.

Ideally, he said, TIM must be managed independently by artists with high management skills and professionals who have a wide knowledge and understanding on art and cultural issues.

"I am sure that this dream is feasible if we work very hard," he said.

Art facilities in Indonesia are behind those of neighboring countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

These countries are actively promoting art activities and receive positive responses from their respective governments, private sectors and audiences.

Singapore, for instance, is currently building a huge modern art center to accommodate its people's demand for quality art performances. The Singaporean government conducted a very serious research and survey on the need for an art center before it started construction.

"TIM needs integrated public relations and promotional campaigns in an attempt to improve its image among artists and the community," Adie said.