Maya Raya Daya : Woman’s Beauty Not Always Woman’s Power October 16, 2006

I was fortunate enough to watching four short movies about Indonesia’s women in national televison few weeks ago. The projects were part of campaign program by one of the bigest beauty product bringing a theme “Your Beauty is Your Power”

The four were great and enpowering -if that the producers wants, but for my view I choose the third movie : Maya Raya Daya. For under 10 minutes this movie gave a strong massage about Indonesia women. I’m rather say this movie is disturbing, brutally honest and dilligently done.

The story in this movie about three women in different time setting. Maya is a pretty girl who bringing up among feudal high caste Javanese family in 18th century. The tradition said that she will marry a noble man from same caste of her’s -a man that already married with three kids. Then she faced the fact that she obliged to say nothing for what she feeling.

Batik Sidomukti dan Truntum December 8, 2005

In a wedding ceremony the bride and the bridegroom wear the same motif of batik Sidomukti, symbolizing a happiness and prosperous life. Using the same motif symbolizing the togetherness. The parents of the bride and the bridegroom wear batik with motif of Truntum, symbolizing the advice of the parents to the newly weds to enter the new life with full of love and confidence.

Saya mencari pengrajin batik untuk membuat pola2 diatas. Kebetulan saya bertemu Ibu Suprinah di sebuah toko batik di Yogyakarta. Motif yang kami cari ternyata sudah jarang. Sidomukti yang ditawarkan tidak seperti yang saya inginkan yakni Selo Kromo. Pembuatannya makan waktu 1 bulan per kain batik. Harganya di toko mungkin hampir 1 juta, tapi di tangan pengrajin langsung menjadi Rp400ribu.

Taman Sari : A Place for Pleasure July 24, 2005

watercastle

Tamansari is a popular tourist destination in my hometown Yogyakarta Indonesia. Its location is so convenient to the city center and Pasar Ngasem (Ngasem Marketplace). The only way to get around Tamansari is by walking. You will get more opportunities to enjoy the various tropical vegetations, local community houses, and batik galleries.

Tamansari was built in 1758 as a pleasure palace complex for Sultan Hamengku Buwono I, the King of Yogyakarta. The 59-building compound included a mosque, meditation chambers, swimming pools, and a series of 18 water gardens and pavilions surrounded by ornamental lakes. The palace complex fell out of use following an earthquake in 1867, which destroyed several buildings and drained the famous water features. Over time, squatters began to inhabit the site, living among the deserted pavilions and building homes in the former lakebeds.

I went to visit again to see extensive renovation being done. Some areas were wonderful like it was. Specially the main polls (Gedong Panunjukan and Temanten) and the big gate (Gapura Agung). The underground water tunnel yet being fully paint. I found lots grafitti and vandals that beeing there for years. But now, by stages I see how the local authorities tried so hard to rejuvinate those building.

Still this place was so photogenic for me. I will be back.

(some text taken from PPS Project for Public Space)

A Big Big Durian March 15, 2005

big durian

This is a nickname for Esplanade -Theathre on The Bay by Singaporean. It was a controversial project regarding the design for their first modern theathre. Two dome with glasses section been covered with metal shader created spiky skin around it. Designed by DP Architects in Singapore and the UK firm of Michael Wilford and Partners, the new complex opened in October 2002, housing both a 2,000-seat theatre and 1,600-seat concert hall (with an extra 200 seats in the choir loft), as well as a recital room, drama studio, and several outdoor performance spaces on the waterfront along Marina Bay.

Now this is even been compare with Sydney Opera House or Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao Spain. I never been in both places only read architecture review about them. But Durians is striking, elegant and clever. I went to the top terrace where actually below the two dome. It was a open performence with screen and lighting. Elegant because the curve and shape so beautifully engrave. Guggenheim was even more complex and difficult to build, it was too aggresive on using steel and metal curtains although I have to admit that Guggenheim was mathematically clever in design.This durian wasn’t so urban. I called it modern but not post-modern. It bargain between Eastern and Western.

Went to library at Esplanade where I found good collections of music, film, drama, acting and books. I read film scrip of Good Will Hunting (1997). The story about Will Hunting who genius in math without taking any formal education. Good story…..it won oscar for the Best Original Scrip by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Still.. I was crying read it.

I impressed that The Wayang Golek -traditional puppet show from west Java and The Shadow Puppet -from Central Java were been put in a glass as precious collections. Singaporean understand their diversity and open up for another culture (ie Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan). Also impressed to see young generation living what I call capitalism environment as they were enthuciast to do act classes. When living as an artist wouldn’t see as good as a banker then educate people to appreciate it is so important.