'We don't have time to enjoy arts'

'We don't have time to enjoy arts'

As a major city, Jakarta hosts a relatively large number of
artistic events and performances. The arts are important if one
is to learn to appreciate the achievements of others. The Jakarta
Post talked to some people about the sort of arts performances
that interest them and where they go to see them.

Arianto, 37, is a public minivan driver on the Kebayoran Lama-
Tanah Abang route, and lives in Cipulir, South Jakarta, with his
family:

I never intentionally put aside money for artistic
performances. I just enjoy all TV programs, including both local
and foreign movies, dangdut, pop and other types of concert, and
spook shows.

Watching these sort of programs helps low income families like
ours to enjoy life.

Sometimes, I get to watch free artistic performances like
jaipong (Sundanese traditional dance) and wayang orang (shadow
puppet) shows when neighbors book performers for their weddings
or their sons' circumcisions.

Tofik, 28, is a journalist with a finance and banking
magazine. He lives with his family in Cinere, South Jakarta:

Many arts events -- theater, painting exhibitions and
traditional dances -- are staged in Jakarta. We can easily get
information on these events from newspapers, the radio,
television or the venues where they are usually held.

I think the problem is that we don't have time to enjoy arts
events. I don't know about the middle and upper classes. Maybe
they have the time to go to painting exhibitions. But for me,
time is a constraint.

My girlfriend has been asking me to take her to a shadow
puppet performance but I don't seem to be able to get the time.
The last arts event I managed to catch was a handicrafts display
at a small and medium enterprise expo -- if you can call that an
arts event.

Actually, it depends on one's interest in the arts. If someone
really loves the arts, they will find the time to attend arts
events.

-- The Jakarta Post