Amid intense debate on copyright laws regarding Balinese art, hundreds of artists gathered to commemorate Youth Pledge Day in an event which promoted unity among the Balinese and protection of their local arts in Bhajra Sandi field in Renon, Denpasar, Tuesday.
Sculptors, musicians, handicraft makers, dancers and many other artisans, who gathered under the banner of the Forum for Balinese Culture (FPBB), read a three-point declaration calling on Balinese artists to list every motif belonging to the Balinese public and to unite to protect those motifs from being "owned".
"This mission is very important for us right now, just as it was important for the youths who pledged their commitment to an independent Indonesia during those days," Nyoman Patra, a member of the gathering's organizing committee said.
Youth Pledge Day commemorates Oct. 28, 1928, the day when students, gathered under the second Youth Congress banner, formulated and declared their support for a free Indonesia.
The day is recognized as an important part of the country's struggle for independence, which participants of Tuesday's gathering said continues, specifically in the art and cultural world.
"Right now, our art and culture remain under threat of colonialism, because we are not in full control of our own creative endeavors," another committee member, Kadek Suarti, said.
Suarti was referring to the recent case of Denny Aryasa, a local Balinese artist who was sued for infringing on copyright laws with his "Crocodile" design, which prosecutors said belonged to John Hardy Ltd., an international jewelry maker. The Denpasar District Court found Denny not guilty.
Suarti was sued for copyright infringement herself in a U.S. court in 1985. She won the case and has since been struggling to remind local artists of the importance of safeguarding Balinese art motifs.
The three-point declaration further calls for all artists to appreciate and love all forms of Indonesian culture as citizens' creative work.
A Ble Ganjur (a form of percussion music) performance, a body painting demonstration and the painting of symbols on a large sheet of cloth followed the declaration.
Copyright laws remain a point of contention between globalizing market forces and Balinese artists, who believe that their art is communally and spiritually owned.
Some artists demanded the white-washing of all copyright registration, while experts from Udayana University urged Balinese artists to get rid of the communal ownership mentality and use the law to protect their artwork.
Damien Dernoncourt, the CEO of John Hardy Ltd., said the problem with copyright laws involved a lack of understanding of copyright among individual artisans and the high cost of registration for copyrights.
"It costs as little as US$5 to register a copyright in the United States, while in Indonesia, the same process can costs up to $200," he said.
Damien called for intensive efforts on the part of the government to educate artists on intellectual property law, reduce costs associated with copyright registration and ensure consistent enforcement of intellectual property laws.
