Keliling-keliling
Pranoto's Art Gallery
Pranoto's Art Gallery is a lively, active place on the main road in Kutu, Ubud, Bali, hosting exhibitions and life-drawing model sessions three times a week. It was established in 1996 by an artist couple, Pranoto and his wife Kerry Pendergrast.
Pranoto was born in 1952 in a small village outside Solo, Java. He was inspired to be an artist from an early age, so he moved to Bali in 1974 to pursue his dream. A single minded desire to be a painter led him to abandon his batik craft to "paint, and nothing else".
He has always enjoyed experimenting with different media, constantly adding new skills and directions to his repertoire. He also loves to collect his friends' work. This is what led to the establishment of the gallery. Pranoto began to work in pastel during the last year. He found this was the best medium for him to apply in the model sessions - a way to capture the light and character of the model. An exhibition of sixty of his pastels took place in the gallery in July,2000.
Kerry Pendergrast is from Perth, Australia. She first came to Bali in 1992 and it was suggested by her artist brother to look up his friend Pranoto - "an artist who liked to drink cofee and talk". She did indeed meet Pranoto, and her match as well. They married in 1993 and have two children.
Kerry began to draw the model in 1993 and found a new passion in life. She had her first one woman exhibition in 1998, of her work in acrylics. She changed media to watercolour and had a solo exhibition in Perth in April, 2000.
The last exhibition at Pranoto's Art Gallery was entitled "Small", held in August 2000. It was as the name implies, an exhibition of smaller paintings by twenty-six artists, which has been very much enjoyed and appreciated by Gallery visitors.
Kerry and Pranoto try to run the gallery in a way that is "artist friendly" and as part of the community. The model sessions are open to all artists and they have had two "Human Form" exhibitions that have showcased the results of the sessions, which are attended by local and international artists, and beginners too.
Please feel free to drop in to the gallery or attend the drawing sessions if you visit Bali. Kerry and Pranoto would love to develop further, the connection between Indonesia and Australia and indeed, the world.Pranoto's Art Gallery
Main Road Kutuh Ubud Bali
Email: rodanet@denpasar.wasanatara.net.id
Web site:http://www.wantree.com.au/~kippo/LineAndColour
Gallery Website:www.balibalibali.com-although
Kerry and Pranoto are members of the Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance
Abimanyu Becomes a Puppeteer
Indonesian artists of Chinese background from Surakarta, Central Java, have a long history of participation in Javanese culture. During August sixty Chinese-Indonesians from the Surakarta Community Association(PMS), gave two performances of wayang orang (Javanese dance theatre) in Jakarta at the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.
The performance told the story of a handsome knight called Abimanyu, played by Irene, who's beloved, Siti Sundari (Mbimbi) had been abducted by Dewa Srani, played by Nora Koo. Abimanyu then poses as a dalang in order to rescue her.
While Chinese Indonesians make up 90% of the troupe, most of the play is performed in Javanese language. The dancers come from a variey of backgrounds, inlcuding students, office workers and business people.
Well-known performers involved in this production include dancer Retno Maruti and comedian Timbul and PMS was named the best wayang orang troupe in 1997.
Source - Jakarta Post
The pig, the dog, his wife and her lover
A folk legend illustrated by Arthur Boyd and Indra Deigan
25 September - 18 November 2000
The Sangkurian legend is an epic Indonesian folk tale from West Java. In this exhibition it is also the subject of a book, beautifully illustrated by Arthur Boyd and Indonesian-born Australian artist Indra Deigan.
The story is tumultous, as two gods are expelled from a heavenly place to earth where they are transformed into a dog and a pig. Once on earth, their encounters with humans encompass love, death, fire and volcanoes.
Arthur Boyd captures the violence, emotions and dramatic pace of the story, with Indra Deigan's quiet, meditative wood cuts a perfect counterpoise in their subtlety.
Art works included in the exhibition describe the artistic and collaborative journey of the artists and are from the collection of the James Hardie Library of Australian Fine Arts.
Contact: Sharon Kasacous
Administration Officer, Public Affairs Unit, State Library of Queensland
PO Box 3488 South Brisbane Qld 4101
Phone: 61 7 3840 7768 Fax: 61 7 3846 1535
Email: sharon.kasacous@slq.qld.gov.au
Civic School Project
The Civic School project aims to implement strategies for democratic and inclusive teaching in schools in West Sumatra for the revised civics curriculum now in operation in Indonesia. The project will enable six in-service and six pre-service Tasmanian teachers of Indonesian language to team teach with Indonesian teachers for a two week period in late January-early February 2001.
The Australian teachers will have opportunities to improve their Indonesian language proficencies through classroom interactions, homestay experiences, and language seminars organised by the State University of Padang. The project is chiefly funded by the Australia-Indonesia Institute, which will cover teachers' airfares Tasmania-Padang return . Dates (to be confirmed) are: 27 January 2001 Depart from Tasmania;12 Feb 2001. Return to Tasmania. There will be two preparatory workshops: one in Launceston, 18th November; one in Hobart, 2nd December.
Eligibility:
Teachers with:
An interest in education for citizenship
Qualifications or demonstrated proficiency in Indonesian
Willingness to enrol in or undertake units in the University's Graduate Certificate in Education/Masters of Education.
Preparedness to attend the two one-day workshops associated with the project
Cost:
Accommodation ($325) plus personal costs such as visa, inoculations, transport, lunches, optional trips.
How to apply?
Applicants should apply in writing by Friday 13th October 2000 to:
Lesley Harbon, Faculty of Education, Locked Bag 1-307 Launceston
Applicants should include a relevant CV, (two pages max), after hours contact details, and should address the four criteria (two pages max), listed above. A selection will be made from applicants by mid-October.
Contact Lesley Harbon:
Tel: 63243909
Email: Lesley.Harbon@utas.edu.au
Matta Calls to abolish Fiscal
'Mr. Tungku Iskandar, President of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) has called on the Government of Indonesia to abolish the Rp. 1 million fiscal tax payment. According to Iskandar, the fiscal tax represents a major impediment for Indonesians wishing to visit Malaysia.
He pointed out that in keeping with the golden triangle of growth concept between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the Indonesia government has already abolished the fiscal tax for Indonesians traveling from Batam to Singapore. The Chief of MATTA called for this fiscal-free facility to be extended to Batam-Johore Baru.
His comments were made a week ago at the signing of an agreement for a joint action committee meeting between the Indonesian Association of Travel Agents (ASITA) and MATTA in Jakarta. Terming the imposition of the fiscal on Indonesians traveling to Malaysia as "discriminative," Iskandar pointed out that only 200,000 Indonesians visit Malaysia each year while some 500,000 Malaysian's pay visits to Indonesia.
Indonesians and foreigners holding residency in Indonesia are currently required to pay a Rp. 1 million (US$ 118 exit tax) before departing Indonesia by air. An advance payment on income tax, this amount is eventually deductible from payroll tax payments.'
From Bali Update
E-mail:news@visit-bali.com
Carnival of Nations 2000
On November 19th at the Magic Millions,Ascot Crt,Bundall,Gold Coast, there will be a "Carnival of Nations 2000" starting from 10am to 4pm for all the Ethnic groups to celebrate together.This is being organized by the Ethnic Community Council Gold Coast. A Non-stop international show from various nations will be on the stage plus an international food festival as well as international art and crafts on display. Our Indonesian artists will join them too. Please come along, admission is free!
The next event coming up on November 25th will be a similar event at Labrador Primary School, Turpin Road, Labrador. An "International Festival" will be held from 10am to 4 pm, as a family Ethnic celebration together with students involved with learning about other cultures after the end of their Cultures Week Program.
Thank you for your support.
Indonesia Dance Group Gold Coast
Indonesia Dance Group Gold Coast is a member of the Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance
Gamelan Kyahi Jatidiri in Concert
Reviewed by Dave RileyGamelan Kyahi Jatidiri (Gamelan of the High Esteem) is a Central Javanese Court gamelan which was gifted to the Queensland government. Now on loan from the Queensland Museum, it is located at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in South Brisbane.
The gamelan dates from 1908 and is an eight piece set which can accommodate over 12 players.
At a concert held on September 7th, the audience of 100 were treated to a selection of works from the repertoire of the Courts of Solo and Yogyajkarta played by undergraduate students studying at the Conservatorium.
Under the direction of Gregg Howard the ensemble offered a six item concert comprising mainly lancaran pieces, a ladrang and a popular folk song often used to accompany the clown puppets during wayang kulit.
It was wonderful to hear the music while watching the effortless cueing between the players. Lancaran 'Gugur Gunung' composed by Ki Wasitodiningrat was for me the most moving of the items offered, a simple piece in pelog tuning which traditionally supplied the setting for voice.
At the concert’s conclusion, Gregg Howard invited the audience to come up and explore the instruments, so many of the audience with the assistance of the students, jumped at the opportunity to tap a bonang, bang a kendrang or offset a couple of sarons against each other.
Dave Riley
THE MASK STUDIO
Email: dhell@ozemail.com.au
Website: www.ozemail.com.au/~dhell/mask.htm
PO Box 103 Northgate Qld. Australia 4013
Tel: (07) 3266 4281 Fax: (07) 3314 6663
Dave Riley is a member of the Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance
DOM - And People Die.
During September the Bandung theatre group Teater Payung Hitam - Black Umbrella Theatre, presented the confronting play 'DOM - And People Die'. The play was presented as if it were a series of photographs - scenes stolen, moments in motion based upon the experiences of the people of Aceh during the period of DOM - military protection zone, reflected by the title DOM - 'Dan Orang Mati' - And People Die. The director succinctly named this play an album of black history.
As one Indonesian AIAA member put it, her heart is bleeding, to hear of the atrocities and deaths in this Northern-most province of Indonesia. For many people in Indonesia the harsh reality of life in the areas most affected by violence, are so shocking as to be unbelievable.
Teatre Payung Hitam's production left nothing to the imagination as scenes of death and military images revealed the horrors of life in the military zone. The performance had a powerful effect on the audience, faced with the stark violence and murder which has been the reality experienced by many Indonesian people, this play begs the question - what can we do to stop the suffering? What can we do to help the people of Aceh, Maluku, Papua, West Timor....?
New Gamelan Groups in Newcastle
Well-known gamelan teacher and dalang Mike Burns has pulled up stakes in Perth and settled in the Newcastle area. Mike previously led the Perth-based group Gamelan Carimakan and is famous for his wayang kulit play - "Wayang Kelly" - a shadow puppet play based on the story of Australian bush ranger Ned Kelly which has been performed at events such as Woodford Festival and New Zealand Gamelan Festival.
Mike brings with him Javanese Selendro and Pelog orchestras as well as a Banyuwangi Angklung (gamelan) orchestra. Mike's arrival in Newcastle will certainly be a wonderful boost to Indonesian cultural activites in the area, as he has already established two gamelan groups since his arrival a few months ago.
If you are interested in learning more about Gamelan in Newcastle, contact Mike Burns.
Phone: (61) 02 49 584 981
Indonesian Short Films
A new website which inlcudes Indonesian short films, illustrates just how wonderful the world wide web is, in creating opportunities for us to enjoy art and culture which has previously been very difficult to access. Information has been sent to AIAA by GengGong beat boy - Reza Achman to let us know about this site which includes work by his friend, Platon. You can access the site by going to -
www.8arts.com
thanks for the info, Reza!
National Trajectories
Call For Papers
"National Trajectories: the nation and its histories"
National Trajectories is an interdisciplinary conference exploring the pasts and futures of the nation. It is about the possibilities and limitations of the nation as a frame for history; an exploration of the ideas, activism and identities contained by or exposed through the performance of nation.
In their germinal works on the nation and nationalism Ernest Renan, Eric Hobsbawm indicated that the history of the nation is one of fabrication and invented traditions. 'Getting its history wrong', wrote Renan, 'is part of being a nation'. One of the key criticisms is that it assumes a choice between the invention and authenticity of tradition; it alludes to the possibility of historical objectivity. In more recent scholarship we have embraced notions of imagined communities and the national phantasm. These terms displace the instrumental connotations inherent in the notion of invention but nevertheless sustain the criticism of the nation as a frame for historical inquiry.
Some of the questions which may be explored are:
- How relevant are ideas of the nation for our understandings of identity, culture and politics?
- Do we have to look beyond the nation or is it more interesting to find the histories and stories that have been enclosed/exposed within it?
- Who are the custodians of the nation and its histories?
National Trajectories will be held on The University of Sydney main campus on Friday 10th November, 2000. Abstracts of not more than 150 words will be accepted (via email) until the 20th September.
Keynote: John Birmingham (author of 'Leviathan:the unauthorised biography of Sydney', 2000)
Contact details:
National Trajectories
C/ Department of History
The University of Sydney
NSW 2006
Australia
tel: 02 9351 2159 (Katy Nebhan) fax: 02 9351 3918
East Sumba Textiles at Seniwati
Ubud's Seniwati Gallery of Art by Women is hosting a month-long showing of traditional woven textiles by the women of East Sumba through 31 October 2000. "The Beauty of Ancestral Art Works" is drawn from the private collection of dra. Th. Swandayani Umbu Hapu and will be on display at the Seniwati Showplace each day from 9am until 5pm hours.
For more information contact the Gallery:
Tel/fax 62-(0) 361-975485
Email:seniwati@dps.mega.net.id
Balinese performances in Europe
During August this year, 45 students and instructors from STSI(Bali School of Fine Arts) travelled to Switzerland to participate in the International Music Festival held August 24-28. The group was led by Professor Dr I Wayan Dibia SST.
At the same time, two dance groups from the Gianyar Regency of Bali were also performing in Europe. The "Panti Pusaka Budaya" group of Batuan Sukawati, toured Italy, Germany and Denmark from August 13 to September 21 led by their famous leader Bpk I Made Djimat. As well as presenting dance workshops the group also performed Mask Dances, Legong Keraton, Baris Warrior Dance and Barong Dance.
Meanwhile, a 25-member troupe from Ubud, led by Dr. Wayan Rai S, were performing in Canada. In addition to a program of traditional works, this group also collaborated in four avant-garde performances in conjunction with Canadian "Rock and Roll" legend Bobby Curtola.
Bamboo Fest
A celebration of the bamboo arts
April 29 2001 is Bamboo Day in Minnesota USA and will be a gathering of as many perspectives on this humble-yet-extraordinary grass as possible. There will be music, dance, arts, crafts, and food from many bamboo cultures across Asia and the Pacific.
Your participation is invited in this unprecedented event. If you have a bamboo-related skill to demonstrate, a performance to perform, an art object to exhibit, or are otherwise an aficionado of bamboo, please contact the organisers and let them know how you would like to be involved.
Community organizations are also invited to arrange their own competitions for paintings or haiku on a bamboo theme. Winners will be presented at Bamboo Fest.
Plans for the festival include a newly-commissioned work for the Indonesian Angklung, bamboo flutes from China, shakuhachi from Japan, Vietnamese flutes and percussion, Philippine bamboo pole dance, Indonesian martial art - Pencak Silat as well as bamboo handicrafts, culinary arts, poetry about bamboo etc
The Bamboo Fest event will be held on April 29 2001, 1pm - 6pm at the Landmark Center Cortile and Courtroom 317 and will also present Eco-information booths containing 1000s of bamboo varieties from around the world and 1001 uses of bamboo.
Copresented by the American Composers Forum, Vietnamese Cultural Association of Minnesota, State Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans, Gamelan Society of Minnesota, Minnesota Indonesia Society, Schubert Club of Minnesota and International Friendship Through the Performing Arts
Deadline: October 20 2000
Contact:
Preston Wright (651) 714-4963
Josee Cung :
(651) 297-4745
Email:bamboofest@aol.com