Indah Setiawati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Art and Design | Sun, July 29 2012, 9:08 AM
Paper Edition | Page: 2
Touch of Hip-Hop: Shadow-puppet muster, Ki Catur Kuncoro, performs his “Wayang Hip-Hop” at the opening of Bazaar Art Jakarta at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Jakarta. (JP/R.Berto Wedhatama)
Artist Nisan Kristiyanto, 59, beamed as he greeted some of the visitors who were enjoying his paintings during the Bazaar Art Jakarta 2012 at the Ritz-Carlton in Pacific Place, Jakarta. His two Flamboyant Tree paintings grabbed the attention of several people who took pictures in front of them.
“I like the tree’s blossoming flowers. They are very beautiful and I like to link them with sentimental moments,” he said.
The graduate of the Indonesia Art Academy, or ASRI (now ISI), in Yogyakarta said he has dedicated 40 years of his life as a professional painter without having any other side jobs.
Nisan is one of numerous artists whose works have been displayed in the annual art exhibition. Held for the fourth time since 2009, the event boasts arts-related activities, such as an exhibition, a sale of fine arts and discussions on art and children’s art.
The exhibition opened on Thursday with “Wayang Hip-Hop”, a performance group created by Ki Catur Benyek Kuncoro from Yogyakarta. The modern puppet show staged a combination of colorful puppets wearing both modern and traditional attire.
Wearing black glasses, the puppeteer used Indonesian and some Javanese to deliver his story. The puppet show was enlivened by the performance of four singers who belted out hip-hop songs and a DJ. Alas, the story’s delivery failed to attract much laughter, though the singing was entertaining.
Also present at the exhibition are batik collections belonging to the late designer Iwan Tirta, and Oscar Lawalata’s fashion installation of old cloths of Batik Kudus that was paired with his classic kebaya. Visitors can also enjoy the collection of batik tulis (hand-painted batik), from the Galeri Batik Kudus, which is available for sale.
The art exhibition also features special sections, such as Japanese Art, Kinetic Art and Puppetry in Art. Among them is a kinetic art work Cosmographic Voyager by American artist Bob Potts.
Home décor enthusiasts can visit the product exhibition at the Casa by Bravacasa. As many as 18 tenants are participating in the show, which displays their luxurious products. The exhibition is also showcasing products by young designers, including those from La Salle College of Interior Design in Jakarta.
Kitchen sets, mattresses and tableware can also be found at the event. One of the tenants, Indo Porcelain, has on display numerous ceramics adorned with cute designs. Although they only began selling the items on Friday, those interested should check the availability of the products, as several ceramic enthusiasts put in their orders early.
“I like ceramics and my grandmother has many lovely collections. I always get excited when I visit the Jenggala Keramik Gallery in Bali,” Angga, one of the visitors who had preordered, said.
Director of the MRA Group, Soetikno Soedarjo, said he hoped Indonesian fine arts would keep on developing despite the recent controversy over the authenticity of local paintings. A few months ago, several collectors and art enthusiasts were becoming decidedly nervous due to allegations of forged works based on masterpieces by local maestros, such as S. Sudjojono, Affandi and Basuki Abdullah.
Bazaar Art Jakarta runs until July 29.
