Cempaka Culture and Tourism: Colonial Era Gets a New Coat of Paint

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …”

Friday, November 19, 2010

Colonial Era Gets a New Coat of Paint

Jakarta Globe, Katrin Figge | November 19, 2010

The Dutch cultural center Erasmus Huis, known for staging high-quality cultural performances in Jakarta, celebrated its 40th anniversary this year with a big bash in April and an equally illustrious closing party at the beginning of this month.

The painting exhibition ‘Kota Tua,’ currently showing at
the Dutch cultural center Erasmus Huis, features works
that offer commentary on Indonesia’s colonial past.
(JG Photos / Katrin Figge)

One of the exhibitions currently being held as part of the festivities, “Kota Tua” (“Old City”), is a group effort by students of the Jakarta Institute of Arts, which is also celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

The paintings, on display on the second floor of the cultural center, take a look at buildings and scenes from Jakarta’s old city center, Kota, or as it was known in the colonial era, Batavia.

“Painting old buildings reminds us of the modern city atmosphere of that era, the life that colored the Jakarta of those days,” the exhibition’s accompanying catalog says.

“The structures that were built to cater to the needs of a busy city. Hotels, highways, bridges, floodgates, office buildings, harbors, train stations, marketplaces, hospitals, the governor’s residence — they were all built in the architectural style of the Dutch East Indies.”

Some paintings radiate a sense of nostalgia as they capture how Kota Tua’s buildings looked when the area was still a flourishing city center.

One painting depicts a vintage car parked in front of what is now Cafe Batavia, while another one shows a peaceful scene at the old Sunda Kelapa harbor.

Other works focus on the neglected state of Jakarta’s historic buildings today. These architectural gems of yesteryear now seem forgotten, standing as silent witnesses to a colorful past.

“The paintings of old buildings are interesting,” the catalog says.

“It is nostalgic and it respects the work of the architects of the past. The students of the IKJ are used to painting Jakarta’s old buildings from various points of view, appreciating their historical and aesthetic values.”

Some of the works showcased at the exhibition convey a very strong message.

The most memorable painting shows the old administrative headquarters of the Dutch East India Company, and later the Dutch government. The second oldest structure on Fatahillah Square, the old headquarters was turned into the Jakarta History Museum in 1974.

Across the painting, the word “exploited” is written in white letters on a red background — the colors of the Indonesian flag. The painting, a voiceless accusation, encourages the viewer to reflect once more on a time when Indonesia was still under colonial rule.

“The Dutch government has left a heritage,” the catalog says.

“The good and the bad of the government of that time is a reality. And so are the values of the old buildings, which still stand as witnesses that can convey a lot to the coming generations.”

While this may be true, there has been no official recognition of the old city center’s historical value.

Several master plans to save Kota Tua’s fading heritage have been drawn up since the early 1990s, but little has been done by the city administration to restore the area. Instead, the city is left with fading buildings.

‘Kota Tua’

Painting exhibition by IKJ students

Until Jan. 13

Erasmus Huis

Jl. Rasuna Said Kav. S3

Kuningan, South Jakarta

Tel: 021 524 1069