While Indonesia and the world must bravely deal with CoVid19, several events in the arts and local culture have had to be cancelled in the interest of public health and safety.
The wonderful June-July Bali Arts Festival in Denpasar, so large it had to be canceled quite some time ago, vows to return next year.
The already-postponed-until-June Ubud Food Festival simply won’t happen at all this year, but please pencil it in for April 2021. And August’s usual Ubud Village Jazz Festival is off entirely for this year, but show up NEXT August. Always a great local and international lineup of talent.
Jakarta Biennale, normally planned for November 2020 is now slated for the second half of 2021.
Jogjakarta’s feast for the senses which happens each July and August, ArtJog has been postponed until next year. Doesn’t this year’s theme, Time to Wonder, sound so mood-elevating? Surely it would be a lovely thing to follow our time of dealing with CoVid19. Organizers and the ArtJog MMXX curatorial team have announced, since artists never stop creating, some sort of special edition of ArtJog is being worked on and will be launched soon. Can hardly wait to see what this is! Watch social media for updates.
Museum MACAN in Jakarta, with a remodeled outdoor space, will not be reopening just yet. MACAN is part of the #museumfromhome movement. Joining collections like Taipei’s Palace Museum and a really wonderful array of famous museums and plenty of intriguing exhibition venues you’ve probably never heard of, visits can be made right from your computer or phone. Google it and go explore!
On that note, here’s a special shout out to #museumfromhome joiner San Francisco MOMA for their fun Artists’ Cribs series of short video tours of artists’ studios. My favorite is the visit to the atelier of French artist JR. Here’s the short cut: https://youtu.be/CjSz290apM0
* * * * *
Bali’s own artists and art educators are thinking up great ways of keeping afloat, like Indra Geed Saputra who is selling tiny abstract canvases for buy-now prices. Check him out on social media #artgeedart.
TiTiAn Gallery is featuring a special exhibition of fascinating small figurative sculptures by Ida Bagus Punia Atmaja. 50% of the proceeds will go to CoVid19 Solidarity Initiatives. To view images, see the facebook page of Soemantri Widagdo, who has it all up on the virtual wall!
Music fans, please think of our Bali musicians , suddenly bereft of an audience, and without an income for their families. They have an appeal for their survival through www.theorchardbali.com
There are also Crisis Kitchen Bali and Sole Men to consider for your good charity, maybe two of the most easy ways to make a contribution of food for families out of a job. Here’s where to go:
https://gogetfunding.com/savelivesinbalinow/?fbclid=IwAR174sjjPiPsmHOPkbPk7fYQLodTEqRQ_5iEREiY3FqFThMYrY12WHYJKrU
https://www.gofundme.com/f/crisis-kitchen-bali
The ever-devoted multinational group of ladies of BIWA, Bali International Women’s Association, are seeking donations for Bali Food Project, Mandiri Bank (Kuta Dewi Sri) Angela McGowan, acct 1750001447696. A BIWA representative notes that some donors have already covered the expenses of transport and overhead, so your donation goes straight to the food for women and children in need.
Those are just three of the ways we can support Balinese people who have lost their income due to hotel, retail, restaurant and other business closures. So many good people are doing the right thing by staying home, so it’s a no-brainer to flow a little support to those who put public health before desperate and dishonest income solutions.
Kim Patra, nurse and health care expert at Community Health Care Bali, has put up an online google docs database of food assistance concerns who are actively turning donations into groceries and other goods that families need.
Go to
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j2a_EBDBvLLFOjL6ZvtU9bx9ijCNKnjH/view?fbclid=IwAR1lz_GwqJe-UbPh7_PcS5GbQScx2to6nqQ9HMtFy9zYYcfuZLRi-aarq2c
…and you will view all the spreadsheeted data to help you decide where and how to donate.
* * * * *
So now, dear shelterers-at-home, here is your big dose of random culture, and I hope you enjoy these virtual concerts and journeys.
Music, Oldies: Jakarta’s Deredia at https://youtu.be/rfoXqlosF_U
Archipelago: Sasando instrument from Rote Island: https://youtu.be/r8kmZHUikZc
Papuan dancer goes to Jakarta: https://youtu.be/t3xIxtXuvz0
Hard Rocking Music from Navicula’s Corona Concert, taped just before we all shut down…
Art of the archipelago:
Medicinal Balinese spice:
Blacksmiths, east Java:
In-drone-sia:
Canine Culture: Did I hear you correctly? Some of you haven’t yet seen Bali: Island of the Dogs, Lawrence Blair’s wonderful documentary on the Bali Street Dog? A Balinale premiere from a few years back, it’s very much relevant to Bali’s intricate culture today. Go to facebook page Bali – Island of the Dogs and see Dean Allan Tolhurst’s post for instructions on buying your very own copy via PayPal.
What-A-Slice of Culture, Made Wijaya’s own narrated visit to a pedanda’s cremation/pelebon: https://youtu.be/_qriKYsjZNc
Music that’s not 100% Indonesian, but it might be a good time to celebrate the human race: