Secret Service's New Training
Diposting oleh Unknown on Kamis, 18 Desember 2008
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Lamentation for A Balinese Dog
Diposting oleh Unknown on Minggu, 14 Desember 2008
I am just a dog.Beaten, kicked and starving dog.
I mean you no harm,
just trying to live
between busy street
avoiding myself from getting hit.
Do I also need to be killed?
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A Night with Three Dancers
Diposting oleh Unknown on Sabtu, 13 Desember 2008
Despite the constant state of pouring rain, I managed to drive with my friend, L, to a dance performance by three Japanese maestros in Geoks, Singapadu yesterday night. I had no idea what would be performed since it was L who arranged the whole thing and I, as ever the culture vulture, followed faithfully. After walking through a muddy alleyway, with rain strong enough to ruin shoes and hairs, we arrived at the hidden performance hall.
It was more of a school hall with the simplest seating arrangement ever. Plastic chairs and stadium wooden bench. However nobody really care. The room was packed with crowds, mostly Westerners and art community people.
It was more of a school hall with the simplest seating arrangement ever. Plastic chairs and stadium wooden bench. However nobody really care. The room was packed with crowds, mostly Westerners and art community people.
The first performer was Keiin Yoshimura with the dance piece titled Yuki (Snow). There was two candles in each side of the stage, a shamisen player and the dancer, dressed in a white kimono and holding a parasol. She danced beautifully, using the parasol to convey her emotions. I felt sadness, loss, cold and a sense of nostalgia. It turns out, the dance was about a story of a geisha in the verge of becoming a nun and reminiscing over her past love. It is a “Kamigata-mai dance, pure poetry translated into dance and music within an unfolding meditative space."
Without an interlude, the stage was darken off and suddenly audience saw a white hunch-back figure on the stage. The figure stayed in the same position for a while until it started to move. The bald man wearing a crème suit and matching trouser was Yoshito Ohno, performing his piece titled Kuu (Emptiness). To tell you the truth, I didn’t quite catch the meaning of his performance. My limited knowledge on dance performances, was quite tested last night. I could see how he had an amazing contol over his muscles and movement. I could sense that he seemed to dance with an imaginary figure. He was a kid, a woman, an old man at once.
Without an interlude, the stage was darken off and suddenly audience saw a white hunch-back figure on the stage. The figure stayed in the same position for a while until it started to move. The bald man wearing a crème suit and matching trouser was Yoshito Ohno, performing his piece titled Kuu (Emptiness). To tell you the truth, I didn’t quite catch the meaning of his performance. My limited knowledge on dance performances, was quite tested last night. I could see how he had an amazing contol over his muscles and movement. I could sense that he seemed to dance with an imaginary figure. He was a kid, a woman, an old man at once. However the performance which affected me the most was by Saga Kobayashi under the title Hakuyou (Whitemelt). For me it was disconcerting at first. The dancer showed up in white dress, muddled long black hair and carrying a candle in her hand. She started to make her way into the front of the stage, half-walking and half-dragging her way. Her body language was strange, not quite a dance movement. The moderator said the piece as butoh. The program’s description of the piece said “body doing butoh, body being invaded…vacant body with nothing inside. Organs dried, trown away like a dead fly. A female fly sits at the bottom…anthena shiffering, eyes twitching.”
To me, she looks like a female ghost in Asian horror movie. I even wonder at some low point during the performance, if Sadako, the she-ghost in Japanese horror movie, Ringu, was inspired by this performance. The body twitching and stacatto movement strikes me as similar. It was not an easy performance to be watched and understood, although I think the whole experience was mystical. I didn’t feel I was sitting in a cramped hall with my butt felt half-numb by sitting on a hard bench. I felt myself transformed into another place. I could sense that this performance has a “soul” in it similar with Calonarang, a sacred dance performance in Bali.
I’m not sure I like it. It was haunting and surely something that I wouldn’t forget in quite a while but I don’t think I’d see another butoh performance in near time. It was however, an eye opener for me. A great honor for Bali, to be able to host a performance from a world reknown maestros. I felt truly priviliged to be able to see such a provocative and strong performances, despite the minimal facility and a rather hasty event preparation.
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Destruction of 18th Century Plantation House in Tangerang
Diposting oleh Unknown on Minggu, 07 Desember 2008
I don’t like starting my Sunday by getting angry. Unfortunately, it was exactly what happened to me this morning and cause this emotional blog outpouring. I have a special interest in historical buildings, cultivated since my years in Jakarta and intense research for my final projet in university. 
Right this minute, an 18th century rubber plantation house is on its way to be demolished. Its brick was sold piece by piece, for a mere 1.200 IDR (or a pathetic few cents). The house is the only remaining heritage of Indische-Chinese-Javanese architectural style in the world. I said the only, because another buildings was already demolished or improperly “renovated” as a shopping mall, as was the case with Candra Naya.
Right this minute, while the local Tangerang government absently taking a long weekend off, the tearing continues. This house, said to once belonged to a influential Kapitein der Chineezen Oey Djie San, located beside Cisadane River, has two different façade. The one facing Cisadane River has a Chinese style façade where the one facing the street has a Indische style architecture. Guarding the front door, there used to be two quilin lion statues which now perhaps sitting in a warehouse, ready to be auctioned.
Right this minute, an 18th century rubber plantation house is on its way to be demolished. Its brick was sold piece by piece, for a mere 1.200 IDR (or a pathetic few cents). The house is the only remaining heritage of Indische-Chinese-Javanese architectural style in the world. I said the only, because another buildings was already demolished or improperly “renovated” as a shopping mall, as was the case with Candra Naya.Right this minute, while the local Tangerang government absently taking a long weekend off, the tearing continues. This house, said to once belonged to a influential Kapitein der Chineezen Oey Djie San, located beside Cisadane River, has two different façade. The one facing Cisadane River has a Chinese style façade where the one facing the street has a Indische style architecture. Guarding the front door, there used to be two quilin lion statues which now perhaps sitting in a warehouse, ready to be auctioned.
Right this minute, the house which has been raped from its antique ornaments, teak wood (priced 1 million rupiah per m³) and terracotta tiles, continues to be torned down. Later, they will be sold to collectors in Australia and Netherland for God-knows-what-price.Please stop this from happening. A voice can make a different. Please help to save this building by clicking it here.
Kindly urge your family and friends to write to the Tangerang Local Government’s website.
Don’t let this building becoming the Second Candra Naya!
For further information, images and articles about this house please click the links below:
Kompas article (in Bahasa Indonesia)
http://indonesianhistorical.multiply.com/journal/item/3/Sebelum_Tinggal_Puing
current condition of the building (in Bahasa Indonesia)
current condition of the building (in Bahasa Indonesia)
complete historical information, images, interior condition and updates (in English)
"The House in Indonesia Between Globalization and Localization" by Peter J.M. Nas (in English)
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SapiMalas’s Must Watched Movies List
Diposting oleh Unknown on Jumat, 05 Desember 2008
Slumdog Millionaire A boy trying to win 20 million rupees from “Who Wants to be A Millionaire” kind of quiz, win the heart of a girl and dodging the police’s suspicion. Based on a best-seller book titled “Q&A” by Vikas Swarup, it also recently won the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures award as the Best Film of 2008.
Meryl Streep as the Principal of
I know what will happen since I’ve read the book. I’d love to see how the tragic story from the perspective of a child, will be translated into movie.
Kate Winslet and Leonardo diCaprio are back as a couple! Finally, he looks compatible and believable enough to be Kate’s object of affection. I hope nobody will drown this time.
Tale of Despereaux
(or to be descriptive: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup and a Spool of Thread)
Love the book! I can’t wait to see the Mouse Knight saving The Princess in action.
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story about a man who was born in his eighties and aged backwards. I want to see Brad Pitt’s transformation from old age into childhood. Plenty of 
Oscar buzz included.
This movie said to be the next cult hit as “Juno” did last year. The soundtrack already became a instant hit. I find Michael Cera’s dorky face very adorable.
The Brothers Bloom
I find Adrien Brody’s starving feature very sexy. I’d love to see him playing con-man in pursuit of a rich heiress, Rachel Weisz. Rinko Kikuchi who once amazed the audience by her brazen role in
Dear Tom…finally! I’m getting used of your long absence post-matrimonial bliss period.
Local Color
The yahoo movie description says: A talented but troubled art school student befriends an elderly alcoholic genius painter who has turned his back on art and life. I say, based on the many awards it already won and displayed in the poster, it should be good.
Happy-Go-Lucky
I always try to look at glasses as half-full. I’d like to see how the heroine also struggle to do the same.
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To Describe How Suck 21 Cineplex is in Bali...
Diposting oleh Unknown on Selasa, 02 Desember 2008
is to tell you that I just watched "Sex & the City" last Saturday night. I might as well say good bye to watching "Twilight" this year.
Anyone care to make a joint venture for a new theater in Bali?
More about → To Describe How Suck 21 Cineplex is in Bali...
Anyone care to make a joint venture for a new theater in Bali?
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Postcard from Behind A Truck I
Diposting oleh Unknown on Senin, 01 Desember 2008
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