Makassar Art Forum

The cultural growth and development in the South Sulawesi region has experienced a process of plurality that gave birth to our values. This plurality has existed in our society for many centuries, through the local art/culture having had intensive interaction between several countries. We have also witnessed and experienced the global demands from mass media inputs (printed and electronic) that, with such speedy means of transmission, make the cultural region of Indonesia a place of intensive exchange and alteration.

With this change and alteration we must always be on the alert in wise and critical ways so as to be aware of the influences that these external factors have upon our society. Looking at these statements and being aware that the macro condition of a political and economic crisis also really influences the art/cultural environment, it makes it necessary to raise and continue to develop the plurality of art/culture that is in our region.

Here we need a formulation, or more precisely a cultural strategy that is made not only to anticipate, but more than that, to conceive a cultural process from a strategy that we create ourselves. Composition spaces that are creative and critical are a prime base that can be applied for the good of our community. An example of these spaces is current traditions that already give blessing and thanks and wisdom. A composition process in the art/cultural region that possesses the capacity to receive differences with the creative criticism mentioned will likewise create and strengthen that art/cultural region through having the characteristics of a melting pot.

"Ramayana" by Yanuarius Hari Sinthu who will be participating in Makassar Art Forum.

This melting pot forms a condition that is already an art/cultural reality in various Indonesian centers as well as in other countries. To this end we must strive to unite through dialogue and sharing.

Since early on in its history, Ujung Pandang has become a cultural center for the East Indonesia region, that makes us a desirable focus of the art/cultural network that includes not only the eastern region, but as well throughout the Cultural Archipelago. In addition to this is our awareness that Ujung Pandang is an international transit stop and has been filled with a multi-cultural track history.

Much can be learned about social impacts of an international cultural region by taking an example from such other developed cities in the world such as Los Angeles, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore. We can seek inspiration and insight from such developmental and historical reality. Logically stemming from that is to endeavour to create an event that invites artist groups from various regions of Indonesia as well as other nations so that a dialog and sharing can take place. This endeavour is conceived to aid the development of traditional art/culture at national, regional, and global levels.

The perspective of this event is not only modern and contemporary but has as well traditional content that indeed is the root of society. And with that, we need in the capacity of this dialog, an opportunity for sharing our traditional capacity that in the last three decades has experienced a process of degradation as a result of centralization, and autocratic political practices.

The trend of decentralization constitutes one motive that desires us to be located as the base of this event. In relation to decentralization are our efforts to stimulate and nurture the awareness of self-reliance along with democracy in the archipelago art/culture region, that is based on individual and social growth. This individual and social perspective of plurality is most often evident in the form of collaboration.

Co-operation and Interdependence form a reality of development that enables everybody to participate in their respective capacity. In accordance with that, we desire this proposed event to be more than a 'Show Room' of culture and art. We desire it to be an educational cultural process that is critical and creative.

Here the arrival and attendance of artists and the public is not only to sit and watch. This event is meant to establish a New Art/Culture, from a community that has qualities and characteristics that are just and democratic. It also bears in mind growth as historical property and always wants to be developing this growth into the future. Lastly it offers space for expression in individuals and society, containing their human and societal values. In consideration of this we plan an event that we have given the name Makassar Arts Forum '99, or MAF '99.

In this event MAF '99, various programs have been arranged that for a long time have been distributed, based on personal contacts as well as artists and artist groups in various regions of Indonesia as well as the world. MAF'99 contains Performing Arts, Fine Arts Exhibitions (paintings, sculptures traditional arts, instalations and performance art), Photography Exhibition (presenting performing arts events and Makassar during the Colonization period).

One thing that distinguishes this program right from the beginning is in its uniting various aspects and perspectives from various types and forms of art/culture inside a traditional-modern and contemporary point of view. For the contents of MAF'99 program we have already rostered a group of invitations that consists of artists from various fields, researchers, art critics, journalists, writers, art dealers and art managers.

These people will come from several cities throughout Indonesia with a large component specifically from South Sulawesi, as well as from various international cities throughout the world. MAF'99 is a starting block in the inter-island and international art/culture network, as well as a catalyst to augment the momentum in the cultural transformation process to enter the next century and millenium.

Makassar Arts Forum '99 is organized in various activity forms such as Dance, Music, Drama, Visual Art, Heritage Exhibition, and Indonesian and International Film Festival. A distinct part of MAF '99 will be the seminars/informal discussions among the participants (artists, art critics, researchers, journalists writers and general public). The intention is to intensify the communication as well as depth of understanding regarding the general art/cultural condition in Indonesia, especially in South Sulawesi, in a comparison with the art traits in various regions and countries:

A. Performing Arts
Dance (Traditional-Modern-Contemporary)
Music (Traditional-Modern-Contemporary)
Theater (Traditional-Modern)

B. Art Exhibition
Painting (Modern-Contemporary)
Sculpture (Modern-Contemporary)
Installation and Performance Art
Traditional Handicraft:
Wood Carving, Plaiting, Weaving, Ceramics

C. Photographic Exhibition
Performing Art Photography
Makassar during the colonization period

D. Film Festival - Indonesian & International
Indonesia:
Films by Garin Nugroho
Films by Mira Lesmana
Documentary Films by other Young Indonesian Directors
International:
Russia - Vietnam - Poland - China - Japan - Belgium - Canada - Italy - France - New Zealand - Korea - Czech - Yugo

E. Seminars and Informal Arts Discussions
From various experts that have come from different regions and Countries

F. Cultural Tours
Visits and discussions about, the history and social culture of South Sulawesi and some of its traditional areas

Participants:
Participants from various countries among others being United States of America, Philippines, Cambodia, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan will join Makassar Arts Forum '99. Other participants include those from various regions in Indonesia such as Medan, Padang, Lampung Jakarta, Bandung, Tasikmalaya, Solo, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Malang, Bali, Lombok, Balik Papan, Jayapura Manado, Kendari, and Palu (totaling about 300 people). In addition to this are included the participants from Ujungpandang itself and cities in the South Sulawesi region, such as Gowa, Bulukumba, Rantepao, Makale, Bone, Polmas, Selayar, Wajo and Sidrap.

Time of the Event
Makassar Arts Forum '99 is planned to take place starting September 1, through to and including September 12, 1999. This capitalizes on the coinciding Art/Culture events that are taking place in surrounding areas leading up to and following that two week period.

The Makassar Arts Forum '99 organizing committee consists of:

Ø Department of Tourism South Sulawesi
Ø Department of Tourism Municipality of Ujungpandang
Ø Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association South Sulawesi
Ø Information Communication Forum South Sulawesi
Ø South Sulawesi Art Council
Ø Makassar Art Council
Ø Historical & Archeological Reserve (South Sulawesi and Area)
Ø South Sulawesi Culture Center
Ø Regional Department Field of Arts South Sulawesi
Ø Academy of Tourism Ujungpandang
Ø Samudra Indonesia Foundation
Ø Makassar Community Club
Ø Indonesian Travel Agents Association South Sulawesi

Advisors: Gubernur KDH Tingkat I Sulawesi Selatan
Walikotamadya KDH Tingkat II Ujungpandang
Kakanwil Depdikbud Tingkat I Sulawesi Selatan
Kakanwil Deparsenibud Sulawesi Selatan
Kepala Dinas Pariwisata Tingkat I Sulawesi Selatan

Contact:
Email: maf99@indosat.net.id or Halim HD, Curator halimhd@solonet.co.id
Address: Jl. Thamrin No. 2 Ujungpandang 90013 Indonesia
Phone: (62) 411 325863 Fax: (62) 411 316757