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AIAA Launched in Bandung

Working towards creating a better understanding between Australia and Indonesia

             Sambasunda performing at Malam Persahabatan

The Malam Persahabatan which launched AIAA Bandung at STSI Bandung on 21st September heralded the beginning of a new initiative where members of AIAA Bandung and Australia worked with the public in a collaborative devised performance directed by Yani - Mae lecturer in the STSI theatre department, Agus Inzuk and Australian artist, Kerensa Dewantoro.

On 18 October 2003 STSI also hosted a seminar on cultural exchange and understanding with guest speakers Beverly Mercer, the Cultural Attaché for the Australia Embassy along with Prof. Drs Saini KM the founder of STSI Bandung. The seminar was an information session on the Australia Indonesia Institute, Department for Foreign Affairs - Australia, and the work that they do, the projects they fund and how to apply for funding for projects that strengthen working relationships between Australia and Indonesia. The seminar was open to the public from any field of work (education, art, literature, sport and research).

The seminar was followed by a collaborative performance, "SKIN" a piece exploring misunderstanding and similarities as well as other collaborative works and cross cultural pieces in the evening at 7.30 pm at STSI Bandung. Members of the general public were welcome to participate in the devising process and help with the organization of the event with meetings and rehearsals happening every Sunday at the STSI campus.

 

Idea Percussion

The launch AIAA Bandung and the collaborative performances which followed have been sponsored by STSI (Sekoloh Tinggi Seni Indonesia University of the Arts), the Australia Embassy in Jakarta , the Australia Indonesia Institute in Canberra and Ibu Pia Alishjahbana from Femina Magazine. The launch was an eclectic night showcasing some of the brightest talents from STSI students and alumni featuring traditional performances such as the exceptional talent of Noer'anani the granddaughter of the late dance master Ibu Sawitri, dancing Topeng Klano from Cirebon, and contemporary perfo-                                           rmance such as the music group Seratus Pe-
rcent (100 percent) playing a fusion of Balinese gamelan and Sundanese hip hop, Sambasunda, and Garasi Raxin with a dance piece symbolizing the new marriage between Australia and Indonesia. Kerensa Dewantoro from Australia performed her two pieces, "A Clockwork Medea" - featuring the music of Margaret Bradley, a composer who has spent many years in Bandung and "Shakuntala" with local musician and performer, Efen.

There was poetry collaboration between Dr Ian Jarvis Brown (theatre director and writer from Australia) and Professor Drs Saini KM, the founder of STSI Bandung. Other performances included Ozenk Percussion, Neima, the Paps and Idea Percussion among others. The event was attended by 300 members of the wider public interested in supporting the work of AIAA. The event was opened by Anis Sujana SST Mhum, chairman of STSI Bandung. He opened with comments drawing attention to how little is known about Sundanese cultural overseas with the trend being towards Balinese and Javanese cultural and hoped that this new relationship can help give Bandung artists a chance to realize their full potential as artists on the world stage as well as promote Sundanese culture, both traditional and contemporary. He also talked of hopes of students form STSI Bandung being able to do their masters and doctorate studies in Australia.

Kerensa Dewantoro

AIAA (Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance), is an organization initially set up in Australia by artist and event organizer Judith Shelley in 1998. Whilst negative images between Indonesia and Australia have run rampant in the media for many years creating misunderstanding, both in Australia and Indonesia, little is known of the many on-going relationships and artistic collaborations that have existed between artists of the two countries. Judith Shelley set up the organization to promote cultural awareness both amongst artists as well as to the wider community. And it is clearly apparent from the support of the audience and the artists involved in the launch of AIAA Bandung, that many people here in Indonesia believe in the importance of creating a better understanding on a non-political level between Australia and Indonesia.

 

In the early days of AIAA - Australia, members were aware that whilst Indonesian artists were traveling the world and whilst many had worked with Australians who had come to Indonesia, few had actually been to Australia. Initially, projects were organized some of which included the Australia Indonesia poetry exchange which brought out, for the first time, Indonesian poets to participate in the Sydney's Writers Festival in 2001. They have also coordinated several artists-in-residence exchanges for musicians Ozenk, Efiq Zulfikar and Wahyu Roche (all Bandung artists) to work with various gamelan groups, communities and schools in Australia. After the Bali bombings the Byron Loves Bali group from AIAA coordinated several fundraisers which highlighted the friendship and warmth between Australians and Indonesians as well as showing the breadth of cross pollination in various artforms such as Kerensa Dewantoro's various versions of "Shakuntala" that have been performed in Bali and Australia.

For more information contact Yani Mae on 0812 2026266 or email:
Kerensa at kvdewantoro@yahoo.com and Ian Brown at: darian@indosat.net.id.

                   

AIAA Bandung and friends