TheJakartaPost
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#IndonesiaHappy: Museums, artists celebrate cultural diversity
A wide range activities held across Jakarta for a whole week celebrates Indonesia’s cultural diversity.
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Finishing touches: Mural artist Guntur Wibowo completes his piece displayed as part of 2019 National Museum Day celebrations at Fatahillah Square in West Jakarta. (JP/Josa Lukman)
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n a warm Monday afternoon at Fatahillah Square, West Jakarta, visual artist Guntur Wibowo and his team put the finishing touches on a mural depicting the square’s museums.
Created entirely in sepia tone acrylic paint, the 3 by 6 meter mural is one of three commissioned by the National Gallery of Indonesia to mark 2019 National Museum Day, which falls on Oct. 12. The murals are on display as part of the celebrations until Oct. 13.
Guntur, known professionally as Guntur Jong Merdeka, said the murals were intended to draw the public, especially youths, to the myriad museums across Indonesia.
“Museums used to have this image of being boring, but lately they have experienced a sort of renaissance that has made them more enticing to visit. We’ve traced Indonesian history, so I’ve illustrated some of the historical museums exhibiting our national heritage,” he told The Jakarta Post.
Guntur explained details of the murals to people lining up to take selfies in front of the murals and noted that people had started taking selfies when he started the project three days earlier, raising hopes that the trend will translate to increased interest in visiting country’s museums.
Along with the more traditional wall-mounted murals, Guntur also created a 3D mural on the ground showing the inside of a museum – a concept that aims to make visitors feel as if they are among the exhibitions.
