Keliling-keliling

Feminine Art

An Exhibition of works by Ni Made Kurniati Andika "Like A Woman" was recently held at At Seniwati Showspace Ubud, Bali.

In this exhibition, Ni Made Kurniati Andika, an artist who was born in Denpasar in 1976, shows the life of a woman in various aspects: ways of life, clothing, make-up, and what she does.

The artist is drawn to explore the beauty of woman, both physicall and through behaviour that enhances their femininity and beauty. Kurnia enjoyed painting since she was small, and then later want on to study at the Senior Indonesian Art School in Denpasar, Bali.

Now she has graduated with BA Art in 2001. However, she is not yet satisfied with her ability and always strives to improve herself. Every improvement comes only after many attempts. Since 1996, she has been active in exhibitions and intends to spend her life this way because this is what she most loves.

Deborah Pollard in association with Urban Theatre Projects presented GIRT BY SEA on Saturday March 23 & Sunday March 24. A marathon performance installation at Manly's harbour beach off the West Esplanade.

"Max Dupain meets Ken Done meets Jacques Tati meets Bali." Australia has strongly identified itself as the bronzed Aussie nation. Our beaches are our national pride and our bikini clad/lifesavers imagery has become our hallmark identity. As Australia begins to accept and celebrate its multicultural identity, we also begin to embrace the many cultural identities that exist within this nation. Girt By Sea looked at cultural diversity through perceptions of the sea.

Girt By Sea brought together a unique international team, featuring Indonesian artists Hedi Hariyanto and Regina Bimadona, and Sydney artists Deborah Pollard, George PK Khut, and Monica Wulff and an ensemble of 12 new performers; Joanne Harpas, Sara Sharpe, Estee Wah, Kelvin Lim, Michael Sieders, Michelle Zikmundovsky, Zayann Jappie, Susannah Palk, Minh Hau-Lu, Marni Clayton, Matthew Prest and Sarah Vongmany.

Girt By Sea invited the audience to sit in a beautiful beach setting amongst a montage of performance and visual arts imagery. Mermaids vacuumed the sand, Max Dupain¹s photographs came to life and hunky lifesavers offered the 'kiss of life' for only one dollar.

Derived from the Kutai word "Eroh" which means "crowded" "bustling" and "good atmosphere. This festivel is the biggest in Borneo, held in September once every two years. The last Erau was held in 1997 due to finance problems. The British Ambassador will be in attendence as well as delgeations from Malaysia, Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, Taiwan and most of Indonesia.

Situated in Tenggarong- a city with its own "Golden Gate" bridge (Jembatan Mahakam JJ) and the capital of the Kutai Kartanegara regency. Erua's main attraction is of the Dayak and the Kutai cultures. The Dayak warriors dressed in skins of animals re-enact unique battles and ancient ceromonies. The Erau is held to commemorate the Kutai Sulton, who will be involved this year in the celebrations and ceremonies held at the royal palace.

Jembatab Merah - The Red Bridge One of the most savage battles in Java which began on 10 November 1945. This was right after Jakarta declered independence and where Brigadier General Mallby was killed. Further down is China town in a typical Chinese atmosphere.

Mpu Tantular Museum - An interesting museum relating to house relics from the prehistorical, Majapahit and Chinese period. Also appearing are wayang figures of old Surabaya.

Dhd 45 Museum - Located at Jalan Mayjen this museum displays Indonesien armed forces and the struggle for independence.

Majapahit Mandarin Oriental Hotel - A nostalgic Indonesian building where the 'battle of Surabaya' was ignited when the flag on the hotel was raised by Surabaya's youth.

Surabaya Zoo - The largest zoo in South East Asia (opposite the Suro Boyo Monument) with a selection of wild animals including the world's largest lizard the komodo.

Submarine Monument - A real Russian submarine in the Indonesia's Navy Armada (1952), involved in the Arafura sea battle to free West Irian from the Dutch.

A concert of Balinese gamelan music and dance by Sekaa Gong Tirta Sinar was held on March 23rd at the Old Darlington school
By all accounts the event ran smoothly and was an inspiration to all
who attended. Don't miss the next installment.

Gamelan Padhang Moncar in association with the NZ-Indonesia Association presented a short concert on Sunday March 24. Directed by Budi Putra, the programme included the new work by Balinese composer Wayan Gede Yudane, artist-in-residence at the Victoria University School of Music for 2002.

Wayan Gede Yudane is one of the most outstanding of Balinese composers. He has been the recipient of the annual prize for the best new composition for Balinese gamelan on nine separate occasions.

Besides concert works he has worked in theatre, has created installations and film soundtracks which have been presented nationally and internationally. He has worked with the Temps Fort Theater, France (1994), and Cara Bali Group, Munich (1996), and has presented seminars in Germany, France and Switzerland.

Among his many honours he received the Adikara Nugraha Award for the Creator of New Composition from the Government of Bali, 1999, and participated in Millenium Percussion Festival in Bali, December, 1999.

In 2000 he collaborated with Australian musician Paul Grabowsky for a music-theatre production 'Theft of Sita', which was presented in Adelaide Festival, The Theater Formen Festival in Hanover, Melbourne Festival, Sydney Opera House, BAM theater, NY, London International Festival of Theater and other centres. He recently completed a 3 month tour of Australia, U.S.A and Europe.

Yudane’s new composition which was presented at this concert has been created especially for Victoria University’s Gamelan Padhang Moncar. It will be included in a programme of new works to be performed at the Yogyakarta Gamelan Festival, to which the group has been invited, in early July.

Yudane’s residency at Victoria University is supported by the Ford Foundation, Jakarta, and the Asia 2000 Foundation.

The pretty doll resembling an Ondel-ondel (Jakarta mask dancer) swayed flirtatiously right and left, back and forth. Suddenly, it began jerking uncontrollably before fiercely attacking two of the people holding it. The doll was the size of an average adolescent, but its movement was as violent as an angry man, savaging anyone who tried to hold it.

Eventually two men managed to restrain the heavily made-up figure and one onlooker asked a question: "Will Akbar Tandjung be freed from detention in the near future?" The Ninithowong Doll shook its head and body, gesturing that the House Speaker and chairman of the Golkar Party would not be released from custody, where is facing corruption charges. "Wow, even a spirit knows that Akbar is guilty,'' art worker Hari Budiono, among the crowd watching this Ninithowong performance earlier this month, said.

"It is quite regrettable that some people try to set him free. Doesn't this clearly show that human beings are more stupid than a spirit?" The Ninithowong performance took place on the eve of Javanese New Year (Suro, which falls on March 14) at the residence of artist Djoko Pekik in Sembungan village, Bantul.

Ninithowong traditional art is performed with a supporting cast of 20 helpers. Four are assigned to hold the doll, one serves as the supernatural master and the rest are singers and gamelan players. The protagonist is a pretty girl doll constructed from a bamboo framework, coconut shell-head and hair of flower and leaves. Offerings are laid out, including a bunch of pisang raja (large sweet bananas) Abon-abon (a set of Menginang equipment complete with betel leaves, lime and gambier), a mirror and a fan.

The doll was paraded around the arena before being stood upright, supported by its four helpers. As the helpers raised the doll's legs off the ground, the supernatural master of ceremonies approached it, chanting a mantra. Suddenly, while still being held by the four persons, the doll began moving, seemingly dancing to the rhythm of the gamelan.Sometimes the doll swung its arms to and fro, while at other times only the body moved, jumping merrily to the rhythm of the drum. Paeran, the supernatural master, used his fan to cool the doll's face, saying it was tired and hot.

A mirror was placed before the doll and it suddenly sparked into life, dancing and jumping again. During the performance, the spectators were allowed to help hold Ninithowong to find out for themselves whether the doll really could move by itself. Most spectators said they were convinced the doll had some sort of magical power - but some were more skeptical, suggesting the "helpers" were actually moving Ninithowong. That night, when two foreigners tried to resist the movement made by Ninithowong, the doll suddenly attacked them. Later, it lay itself down between the two tourists, moving its body angrily.

"This movement indicates that there's someone testing the spirit's power or not believing that there is a spirit entering the doll," said Paeran, while keeping the doll calm. In a Ninithowong performance, the spectators can pose some questions to the doll. As it cannot speak, the doll will answer with its own movement. If, for example, someone wants to know about when he will get a girl friend, the doll may move to the right or to the left. If you ask him how many children you will have, it will drop itself as many times as the number of your children.

Paeran said back when doctors and hospitals were still rare in the area, Ninithowong was frequently performed in his village. "Many villagers inquired what medicine was right for their illnesses. Ninithowong would show them certain leaves as the cure."Jakarta Post Monday, March 25, 2002 In Panjangrejo village, Pundong, Bantul, Yogyakarta, Ninithowong performance is known to have occurred as far back as 1938. Paeran said that it was created by its ancestors, among others Udisedo, Jumar, Marto and Paerah. The performance was popular until 1942, when the Japanese occupational forces landed in Indonesia. During this period, Ninithowong could not be performed.

The Ninithowong performance did not return until 1962, but it ceased again when Indonesia was gripped by bloody political turmoil in 1965. "In the month of Suro, we have invitations to perform Ninithowong in many places, including the Indonesia in Miniature Park in Jakarta (TMII)," said Paeran. Javanese cultural activist K.R.T. Suryanto Sastroatmaja said the origin of Ninithowong performance could be traced to ancient times. Usually, it is performed on the night of a full moon by rural people as a form of entertainment, he said. Ninithowong is also used by farmers for guidance on day-to-day issues, such as identifying pests attacking their crops and asking the doll how to deal with them.

Sourced from an article by Tarko Sudiarno
Jakarta Post Monday, March 25, 2002