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Cultural center marks 8th anniversary
The Tembi Cultural House is one of Yogyakarta's most senior cultural institutions
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The Tembi Cultural House is one of Yogyakarta's most senior cultural institutions.
Located in the south of the city, Tembi enjoys the idyllic atmosphere of rural Java as it is surrounded by rice fields and has the relaxed pulse of village life.
Aimed at preserving Javanese cultural traditions such as dances, shadow puppet plays (wayang kulit), Javanese theater (wayang wong) and the famous gamelan music, Tembi has developed into one of Java's cultural centers and is worth a visit or two.
Tembi not only cares about Javanese history and tradition but is also open to modern Indonesian art. Besides its museum for the region's historical artifacts, one can also find two galleries which show changing exhibitions. One gallery is reserved for internal collections and the other one is used for contemporary art exhibitions.
Since 2006, the Tembi Cultural House has supported young artists. The most recent project "Artists in Residence" gives Indonesian artists under 25 years of age the chance to work independently for three months with all their facilities provided by Tembi.
On May 20, Tembi celebrated its eighth anniversary. Guests celebrating the event were entertained by the House's gamelan orchestra and Javanese dances. There was also an exhibition opening. The organizers worked hard to make this evening unforgettable.
It was like going back in time to the glory days of the Sultan's palace. Tembi employees wore traditional Javanese batik and visitors were surrounded by Javanese elegance and politeness.
After being totally absorbed into a different world of soft movements, beautiful dresses, masks and the typical Javanese gamelan music, the audience was treated to an another event for the senses: A solo exhibition by the Jakarta-based artist Jazz Pasay.
Having studied at the New York Academy of Art and the School of Visual Art, New York, Jazz Pasay's work is strongly influenced by Western artists.
The title of his solo exhibition "Kepada Yang Bersangkutan" can be translated into two different English versions. The first one is more passive: "To whom it may concern". It is passive because the person addressed is only the receiver. The second possibility, "To whom who is concerned", is more active because the person who is being addressed has actually already chosen to be concerned.
Looking at Jazz Pasay's paintings one can see both translations realized. He calls on both groups of people, the active and the passive ones.
He illustrates the problems people living in a huge metropolis like Jakarta experience. The faces of his figures are contorted by stress, pain and the urge to find peace. His paintings almost seem like a warning in their idyllic environment of Bantul -- to warn people to preserve their enjoyable lifestyle away from traffic jams and the scarcity of time.
The contorted faces remind one of German expressionism even though Jazz Pasay's style is more impressionistic.
All in all it was a very interesting evening. Foreign and local guests alike seemed to enjoy the performances and the atmosphere. Tembi Cultural House succeeded once more in weaving traditional and modern Javanese culture together.
Tembi is open daily. Visitors can see the permanent exhibition of Javanese artifacts on display and Tembi's collection of modern Indonesian art. Jazz Pasay's solo exhibition will run until June 20.
Tembi House of Culture Jl. Parangtritis Km. 8, 4 Tembi, Timbulharjo, Sewon Bantul, Yogyakarta 55188 Tel.: 0274-368001, 368004
