Yogyakarta festival begins

Yogyakarta festival begins

YOGYAKARTA: Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X kicked off on
Wednesday the Yogyakarta Art Festival, a full month of cultural
events which highlight traditional and modern art performances.

The ceremony was marked by a parade of 12 artist groups
marching down along Tugu bypass. In the parade was a giant
gamelan set made by Empu Triwiguna and a Barongsai dance.

The performances will be divided into four main categories:
Javanese fine arts, dances, traditional plays or ketoprak, and
literature.

Musician Sapto Raharjo, who chairs the event's organizing
committee, said this year's festival would be considered as a
cultural movement.

Sapto also said that the busy Jl. Malioboro will be closed for
a day on July 2 to host an art and exhibition bazaar. The street
has become the city's center of business and tourism where
Yogyakarta's specialties, antiques and handicrafts are sold.

"The street closure can also be treated as an experiment,
because there have been suggestions to close the street for
good," he added. (swa/bby)