'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