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View all search resultsRimbaud’s Java journey opens new chapter in France-Indonesia ties
An exhibition retracing Arthur Rimbaud’s 1876 journey through Central Java marks 150 years of the French poet’s passage while launching a new literary residency exchange between Indonesia and France.
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Poet's passage: Visitors view photo archives on Aug. 6, 2026, at the Arthur Rimbaud: A Journey Through Java exhibition at the historic Lawang Sewu building in Semarang, Central Java. The exhibition traces French poet Arthur Rimbaud's journey through Java 150 years ago and the historical ties between Indonesia and France. (Antara/Aprillio Akbar)
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nside the grand halls of Lawang Sewu in Semarang, Central Java, the 1876 journey of French literary icon Arthur Rimbaud has been brought to life in an exhibition titled Arthur Rimbaud: A Journey Through Java, held over the weekend.
Organized by the French Embassy in Jakarta, Institut français d’Indonésie (IFI), the Semarang city administration and Alliance Française Semarang, the exhibition was held in partnership with Semarang State University (Unnes), state-owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) and PT Kereta Api Pariwisata.
The exhibition, marking the 150th anniversary of Rimbaud’s journey through Java, chronicles his passage through Central Java through period photographs, maps and poetry displayed in French and Indonesian.
Photographs capture key stops along his route, including Kedungjati Station in Grobogan and Tuntang, alongside excerpts from works such as Democratie (Democracy), Sensation (Sensation) and the prologue to Une saison en enfer (A Season in Hell).
The archival materials revisit a mysterious chapter in the life of a prodigy who famously turned his back on literature at the height of his career.
“Rimbaud's passage through Central Java has indeed become a symbol of the long-standing cultural ties between France and Indonesia.” — Fabien Penone, French Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN
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