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Jakpost guide to art education
Learning about art can also be a way to appreciate process and discover yourself.
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Some places in Jakarta provide art education for children and adults. (Shutterstock/File)
I
t is never too late to learn to create arts and crafts, from something as simple as drawing, to designing an exhibition. Enjoying art could also be the way to discover oneself, especially in finding hidden potential.
These are places in Jakarta where you can explore some art disciplines.
Indoestri Makerspace is housed in a two-story building with a backyard where a café named Dawn & Willow stands. It is in West Jakarta near Rawa Buaya Station.
Established in 2014 by Leonard Theosabrata, the co-founder of Brightspot Market and The Goods Dept., Indoestri underlines the importance of process in order to achieve high quality products essential for building a sustainable brand.
It organizes workshops focusing on four disciplines: woodworking, metalworking, textile and leather and surface with the workshops including ukulele making, indigo batik making and lamp finishing. But they have expanded their workshops to urban farming, photography, calligraphy and jewelry. Some of them are divided into intermediate and advanced levels, but both still welcome beginners as they will learn the basics in class as well. The average duration for a workshop is around six to seven hours, but participants can extend depending on their curiosity of the theme.
Indoestri also has in-house seminars and guest workshops for those who want to build or revamp their own brands.
It provides three types of membership: full, limited and basic. Full membership, for instance, allows people to access their workshop upstairs where they provide woodworking and metalworking machines. However it is not necessary for people to enroll as a member if they want to join a workshop. Workshop prices start at Rp 750,000 (US$49).
Address: Jl. Lingkar Luar Barat No. 36, West Jakarta, 11750.
Contact: +6221 541-5510
Read also: Jakpost guide to recreational places for children
Back in 2013, Ganara was established under the name Ganara Art Studio, providing classes focusing on children’s sensory and motor skill development through art. In 2015, they launched Ganara Art Space focusing on art classes for teens and adults. They also established Ganara Pottery, Art Gallery, Printmaking and Playground afterward.
In Ganara Art Studio, they have applied a new learning experience since Oct. 1, dividing classes into several levels. “Each child will be grouped in a level-based system based on their age. They can choose the type of class depending on their level with different objectives and outcomes,” Lina Nata, general manager of Ganara Art, wrote in an e-mail to The Jakarta Post. “At the end of the package, they will receive reports from the classes they attended and be eligible to take part in an exhibition with other Ganara students.”
As an example, children aged 1 to 2 years old can join the Level 1 group and select from two options of classes: sensory and toddler clay. The former will introduce and develop basic fine motor skills, while the latter is held to develop basic social skills. For now Ganara Art Studio has four levels of child classes, with ages ranging from 1 to 12 years old. Parents of children in Level 1 are allowed to accompany their children in class. The duration of each session is 1.5 hours.
Membership packages are offered depending on the number of sessions booked. Walk-in students for one session are welcomed with the price starting at Rp 300,000.
For Ganara Art Space, classes are open to participants aged 13 and above. The classes offered are acrylic painting, oil painting, pottery and printmaking. Beginners can join the two-hour classes. Membership packages are available and the fee for walk-in participants starts at Rp 300,000 per session.
As for their upcoming plans, Ganara Art is set to open a music class.
Address: Jl. Kemang Raya No. 8B, Bangka, Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta (their other branches are in Pluit Village, North Jakarta, and Scientia Square Park in Serpong, South Tangerang).
Contact: +62822-110-110-50
Read also: Jakpost guide to daycare
Aside from those aforementioned places that offer short periods of learning, there is a non-formal institution at high school level for those who want explore art and self-discovery in a more intense fashion.
Erudio School of Art (ESoA) was launched in 2012 as an alternative to mainstream schools in Indonesia. Founded by Monika Irayati “Ira” Irsan, it is inspired by the philosophies of Ki Hajar Dewantara, Indonesia's founding father in education. The school also draws inspiration from Summerhill, an independent boarding school in Suffolk, Britain.
With currently 82 students, ESoA does not merely focus on art. Its project-based curriculum allows students to explore their true potential by making them aware of social issues and giving them freedom to express themselves. At the end of each semester, they have to present their projects to the public through an exhibition or other medium depending on their preference.
Similar to other high schools in Indonesia, the education program is designed to be completed in three years. The first-year students, for instance, will be given a main theme to be explored. One of their current themes is trust in humanity. “They have to find the definition of trust according to their understanding, then look for issues that are relevant to it,” Ira told The Post on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the ESoA campus. “They will do some research and find their preferences in terms of their style of art.”
The first-year students have to display their projects at school, while the second-year students have to hold an exhibition outside campus. They are assigned to work in groups and find a venue and curator as well as set the budget. The third-year students have to organize a solo final presentation in the event type of their choice, whether it is an exhibition, product launch or focus group discussion.
Often labeled as “home” by their students, ESoA applies flexible rules, but they must have an agreement in terms of class attendance and uniform.
“Freedom sounds very scary for adults because they don’t trust them [the students], but they’re very responsible – although their way of learning isn’t common,” said Ira.
The school provides a studio, workshop tools and facilities for students who want to continue to higher education by giving them special classes to prepare for the national examination. At the end of their learning period, students will receive a senior high school equivalency diploma (Paket C) and/or a BTEC Foundation diploma in art and design, as the school collaborates with UK-based Pearson Education.
The institution accepts middle school graduates who have a passion for art and are always curious. Aside from filling out the registration form and paying the registration fee of Rp 600,000, they also have to prepare their portfolio.
They have launched ESoS (Erudio School of Science) and plan to move to Gunung Sindur, Bogor, in 2019.
Address: Jl. Lebak Bulus I No. 55, West Cilandak, South Jakarta
Contact: +6221 758-187-03 (mut)
