Indonesian batik presented at fashion show

English.news.cn, Editor: Fang Yang, 2010-04-14 20:53:51

A model presents a creation of traditional Indonesian batik in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, April 14, 2010. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

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Media Groups Defend Gossip Shows

The Jakarta Globe, Anita Rachman & Ismira Lutfia

A magazine shopkeeper waiting for the customer near some gossip and entertainment tabloids at at her shop in shopping mall in Jakarta. (JG Photo/Jurnasyanto Sukarno)

Press organizations on Sunday denounced calls for the government to regulate or ban racy entertainment news programs, saying such a move smacked of censorship and harked back to the oppressive Suharto regime.

“Their existence is legitimate,” said Leo Batubara, chairman of the Press Council, referring to popular infotainment shows broadcast on private television stations. “There [instead] should be strong public control over the programs and sanctions imposed on the programs to reinforce better quality.”

He criticized calls last week by Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama, the country’s largest Muslim organization, for the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology to force TV stations to stop airing the shows. Hasyim’s stance was supported by Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali on Saturday.

“It would be the same as the New Order era,” Leo said.

The NU in 2006 issued a fatwa declaring infotainment haram, or forbidden under Islam. The Indonesian Council of Ulema (MUI) has also criticized the shows.

The debate over infotainment reared its head again after actress Luna Maya blasted the shows on the micro-blogging site Twitter earlier this month.

Nasaruddin Umar, director general for Islamic guidance at the Religious Affairs Ministry, claimed that the rising number of divorces in the country, which doubled from 100,000 to 200,000 a year over the past decade, was a result of the impact infotainment shows had on the public. He did not, however, produce any data to back up his claim.

“With infotainment exposing celebrity divorces, our public then thinks that divorce is just a normal thing,” Nasaruddin said.

“I think we should not make other people’s dirty laundry a commodity and reap benefits from it.”

Ezki Suyanto, a member of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), said the NU and the Religious Affairs Ministry should consider the negative effects a ban would have, such as employees of infotainment shows possibly losing their jobs.

“The only thing that needs to be done is to improve the [infotainment] employees’ skills,” she said.

Imam Wahyudi, chairman of the Indonesian Television Journalists Association (IJTI), said calls for a ban should be seen as a warning for infotainment programs to shape up.

“They should think about why they could be labeled as haram and are not considered as [real] journalism,” he said.

Wahyudi added that television programs about celebrities could still have news value as long as they remained in the public’s interests.

A recent case that Ezki cited was the launch of a book by singer Krisdayanti, where infotainment reporters chose to discuss her marital problems instead of the book.

“In fact, the book may contain positive information to be shared [with the public],” Ezki said.

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The Jakarta Post | Thu, 12/24/2009 7:40 PM

Traditional Batik Gets a Makeover

The Jakarta Globe, Sylviana Hamdani

A model presenting designer outfits made from traditional batik cloth, a symbol of Indonesian pride. (JG Photos/Yudhi Sukma Wijaya)

The last 12 months have been fruitful for the nation’s most celebrated traditional textile — batik. Batik fashion has made a comeback after a decade of lying forgotten in the back of most Indonesians’ closets. This year, the cloth has appeared everywhere from markets to high-end boutiques and runways.

In part, the return to batik has been fueled by a sense of national pride, amid a culture war with neighboring Malaysia over the ownership of traditional dances, art and music.

It was a big moment for Indonesia when the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization listed Indonesian batik as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage in October, and the textile received another boost when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who called on all Indonesians to wear batik every Friday.

“Batik will remain a strong element of the national fashion industry,” said Susi Bambang, manager of Danar Hadi boutique in Melawai, South Jakarta. “With Unesco’s recognition, batik is now a fashion icon for Indonesia. More and more people wear it with pride.”

Danar Hadi was founded 42 years ago by businessman Santosa Doellah. It is now one of the country’s leading batik fashion houses, with boutiques in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Medan, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Solo.

Earlier this month, Danar Hadi showcased its year-end collections in a fashion show at its four-story Melawai boutique.

The event featured the latest collections from Danar Hadi in-house designers Ainunnisyah, Nurmina Girsang and Lydia Rachel S Lumbanraja, and acclaimed Indonesian fashion designer Tri Handoko.

“In response to the changing market, we are creating new styles for out batik lines,” Susi said. “We want to show our market that batik is suitable for all occasions.”

Ainunnisyah’s creations are feminine and elegant, combining brilliantly colored hand-woven fabrics and patches of batik in contemporary patterns. The shirts, which are embellished with sequins and ruffles, are paired with knee-length batik pareos. The result is a line of slim and modern silhouettes that complement the figure.

For formal occasions, Ainunnisyah presented a classic black-and-white batik collection of medium-length dresses. “Puff sleeves, ruffles and pleats make these dresses look chic and fashionable,” Ainunnisyah said.

She also showcased her line of elegant long-sleeved shirts for men.

Susi said Danar Hadi had invented its own technique to color batik fabric. “It’s a modern technique that saturates soft and comfortable eyelet cotton in vibrant colors,” Susi said.

In Ainunnisyah’s hands, the brightly colored material is transformed into stylish short dresses embellished with frills and intricate embroidery.

Lydia Rachel presented a fresher, more upbeat collection, combining short-sleeved batik shirts with skinny jeans and tights. “My collection is a combination of wavy cutting patterns, contrasting colors and gemstones,” Lydia said.

Lydia’s blouses are bold and edgy with traditional motifs in clashing audacious colors, such as bright pink, emerald green and gold.

“Batik doesn’t have to be formal and serious,” Lydia said. “You can wear my designs on casual occasions, like when you’re hanging out with friends or going to the mall.”

Young designer Tri Handoko presented five of his organza batik creations, dominated by earthy browns. Susi said Tri used a deconstructive method to create his line, meaning fabric is cut and sewn as it sits on a mannequin.

For Tri’s line, the results are graceful loose-fit shirts, crinkled at the waist to generate beautiful sweeping lines around the hips.

“Organza batik has a more luxuriant and elegant look, which is preferred by our customers, despite the higher prices,” Susi said. Prices for a Danar Hadi organza batik outfit start at Rp 1.5 million ($160).

In-house designer Nurmina Girsang showcased her “Big and Elegant” collection. Targeted at plus-sized women, her outfits generate flared A-line shapes, enhanced with colorful sequins, pleats and draperies. “Big women can also look beautiful and elegant,” she said. “I use a special modification of hand-woven material with a soft furry texture,” she said.

The furs, which are actually short threads extending from the fabric, create a luxurious feel. The collection features lereng (slope) and parang (big knife) batik motifs, Nurmina said. “I want more people to know and appreciate traditional motifs.”

In 2010, Danar Hadi will release four new collections by its in-house designers in Jakarta and Solo, as well as high-end designers. The collections to be released next year will include influences from Java, China and Japan.

Get the Dish On Next Year’s Hottest Looks

The Jakarrta Globe, Silviana Hamdani

P&G predicts that next year’s hottest hairstyles will feature plenty of length and volume. (Photo courtesy of P&G)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes. How true. From one era to the next, the concept of beauty continues to evolve along with shifts in the world’s economic, technological and fashion trends.

And next year promises to be an exciting time. As more countries emerge from the financial crisis, the world of beauty will rejoice and celebrate the revival by launching a new series of hair and makeup trends that celebrate the return of luxury and glamour.

“If we look at the economic crisis, we’re now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Ronald Low, education manager of P&G professional care. “We’re coming back up.”

Every year, Procter & Gamble, a multinational company that produces hair and beauty care products, holds an international event showcasing upcoming beauty trends.

Previously held in locations such as Milan, Sydney, Shanghai, Singapore and Kerala, India, this year’s event took place in Bali.

Named “Beautisphere,” a number of Australian and Asian media representatives were invited to the event to get an exclusive sneak peak at the trends for the year ahead.

“We are proud that Indonesia was trusted to host this major international event,” said Bambang Sumaryanto, external relations director for P&G Indonesia. “During this event, some of the best Indonesian hairdressers and beauty experts worked together with their international peers. This brought awareness and heightened the appreciation of the international world for the world of beauty in Indonesia.”

For the event, which ended on Dec. 11, international celebrity hairstylist Sam McKnight and the makeup artist for the Oscars and Emmy Awards, Bruce Grayson, worked with Indonesian hairstylists Rudy Hadisuwarno, Jonki Pitoi, Alfons, Kusumadewi, Jacky Timurtius, Andiyanto, Irwan Muljadi and Sugimartono, as well as Indonesian makeup artist Qiqi Franky.

Also involved in the collaboration was Malaysian hairstylist Lim Soon Sin, Filipino hairstylists Arnel Monis and Henri Calayag, Thai hairstylist Sindy Lim and Vietnamese hairstylist Tran Thu Hang.

Vassiliki Petrou, P&G’s beauty director and trend expert, together with her team, offered some forecasts for next year’s hair and beauty fashion trends.

“We take into account sociocultural changes, demographic shifts, technological breakthroughs and consumer feedback in predicting future trends,” Vassiliki said.

The trend forecasts are then handed to Dr. Jasmine Karsono, P&G’s principal scientist and manager. “The research and development department needs two to three years to develop products that customers will need in the future,” Karsono said.

According to Vassiliki, hair and beauty trends next year will lean toward a glamorous, yet warm and romantic, look.

“It’s the year of innovative femininity, with lots of positive energy and freshness,” Vassiliki said.

Dubbed “Techno Romance,” the predicted trends will feature vibrant pastel colors, along with floral fragrances with notes of orchid, daisy, iris and violet.

“Today’s lifestyle depends so much on high technology. There’s high-performance fabrics for fashion and high-tech products to create color effects and styles for hair and makeup,” Low said.

“High-technology fabrics create feminine looks that have a very romantic feel. That’s why the new trend is called ‘Techno Romance.’ ”

Hairstyles will be soft and feminine. “It’s a year for the long hair,” McKnight said. “Shine is another big thing. It’s a long and luxurious season in this department.”

The key hair and makeup looks were presented in an exclusive runway show at the Bvlgari Hotel and Resort in Uluwatu, Bali, on the evening of Dec. 10.

Hosted by SK-II brand ambassador Susan Bachtiar, the show was opened by Indonesian singer Anggun, who performed the song “Crazy” from her album “Luminescence.”

The looks of the season by McKnight, Grayson and Indonesian and other Asian hairstylists and makeup artists were all inspired by the Techno Romance theme.

The women’s hairstyles were taken to new heights with elegant solid structures that were softened with romantic touches, such as soft twists, braids and frills, that created a gentler, lived-in look.

“The trend for hair is now more voluptuous and sexy,” McKnight said. “It’s got a slight 1960s coquettish kind of vibe.”

“For tonight’s show, my interpretation of Techno Romance is a blend of the traditional French twist and a modern-styled hair bun,” said Sugimartono, an Indonesian hairstylist, who collaborated in the show.

“With this hairdo, you’ll look gorgeous at evening parties,” Sugimartono said.

Rudy Hadisurwarno, an experienced Indonesian hairstylist, offered his take on next year’s hot look for men. “For the men, the hair is layered with a little bit of bangs on the forehead,” Rudy said. The length of the bangs depends on the shape of the face.

“It’s a bit of a messy, natural look for men with ash brown and light ash blond highlights around the edges,” Rudy said. The highlights give the hair more texture, as well as show more movement.

In terms of makeup, passionate red lips and articulated lashes set against smooth, elegant skin evoked glamorous scenes from the Hollywood classics, while skin architecture — curves and definition — accentuated by playful pastels were the order of the day.

“I always try to articulate my looks with the look of skin,” Grayson said. “Because skin is 80 percent of any makeup. You may have great eyes, great lips, but the rest of it lies on this vast area of the skin.”

“Tonight’s show is a ‘feast of the eyes,’ ” Low said. “The show is to inspire. For everyday looks we can tone it down. The style is actually very simple. For the hair, you just wash it, apply volumizing mousse and dry it. Use cool brown or pale blonde coloring. There isn’t a lot of styling involved.”

“ ‘Techno Romance’ is the answer to our stressful and hectic daily lives,” Vassiliki said. “It answers the need to cope with a complex urban reality, but in a way that makes life more beautiful and poetic.”

Cultures, fabrics mix and match

Triwik Kurniasari, THE JAKARTA POST, JAKARTA | Sun, 11/15/2009 2:25 PM

Glimmering gowns: Models show off creations by Indian and Indonesian designers at the opening of the 3rd Jakarta Fashion Week at Pacific Place mall here on Saturday. About 100 designers are taking part in the annual event. (JP/R. Berto Wedhatama)

Works of more than 90 leading Indonesian fashion designers are on display in the country's most anticipated fashion event - the annual Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW).

During JFW, which concludes Nov. 20, several Indonesian designers will showcase their latest collections, inspired by elements of Indonesian heritage.

Also taking part are renowned Indian designers Tarun Tahiliani and Malini Ramani, using Indonesian fabrics such as batik and ikat.

Their fabulous creations hit the runway Saturday night in "A Tale of Two Cultures", a project with Indonesian designers Sebastian Gunawan and Priyo Oktaviano, who used Indian fabrics in their designs.

Earlier in the year, Tarun and Malini visied Jakarta to select traditional fabrics, and Sebastian and Priyo visited India to explore the richness of traditional Indian textiles.

The Indian designers said they were excited to be part of JFW.

"I love ikat. I like the colors and patterns. But I find it a bit difficult to combine the fabrics," Malini said. "I thought about what I could do to make it nice, and how would I combine them and make them a little bit Indian."

Tarun combines traditional textiles with fabrics such as velvet and chiffon. Malini uses tribal styles and embroidery in her collection.

Svida Alisjahbana, CEO of Femina Group and chairwoman of this year's JFW, said at the opening ceremony Saturday that the goal of JFW is "to turn Jakarta into a major fashion hub, both within the region and internationally.

"It is also a good event to promote our traditional textiles."

Prominent Indonesian designer Taruna Kusmayadi called the event "every designer's dream, because this is a good event to show and sell products to promising customers."

During the week, several independent designers, such as Ivan Gunawan, Stella Risa, Merdi Sihombing and Benten, will display their latest creations.

Also on display will be collections from designers specializing in Islamic wear, such as Merry Pramono, Monika Jufry and Iva Latifah.

As always, the festival will include the final stage of the annual Indonesian fashion design contest.

There's plenty for children also, with the Bubble Girl collection by Sebastian Gunawan and his wife Christina Panarese, and the Kids Model Search modeling competition on Sunday.

Main events will take place at Pacific Place mall in South Jakarta.

For more information, see www.jakartafashionweek.co.id.

Car Free Day in the Old City

Thursday, 12 November, 2009 | 16:45 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The West Jakarta government is organizing a Car Free Day in the Old City area this Sunday at 06.00 AM to noon. “This is to control air pollution and provide space for the public,” said Mayor Mas Djoko Ramadhan yesterday at his office.

Different events will be held, such as fun cycling, physical exercises, music show, slow cycling race, drawing competition for children, museum tour, indoor football competition, bazaar, and quiz on the environment. “The first 100 visitors of the historical, puppet, and art museums will get free lunch coupons,” said Ramadhan.

Sofian

Indonesia Fashion House Shows Muslim Clothes With Style

The Jakarta Globe

Up2Date presented a new line of modern clothing for Muslim women at a show last week. (Photo: Afriadi Hikmal, JG)

The fashion world, by its very nature, constantly reinvents itself, with new styles from the outrageous to the classically inspired hitting the runways each season.

But what about Islamic fashion? Confined by rules of modesty and propriety, Muslim clothes for women have seen little change over the years. The hijab dress code stipulates that women should cover their entire body, except their face and palms, in public. Clothing, including the headscarf, cannot be transparent or tight-fitting.

But fashion label Up2Date, which specializes in clothes for Muslim women, manage to combine traditional thinking with modern styles.

On Tuesday, Up2Date presented its collection for next year in the ballroom of the Shangri-La Hotel, Jakarta. Called “InterAction 2010,” the show combined exotic looks inspired by Mexican fashion icon Maria Felix with a funky retro approach.

While the 70 pieces presented during the show came in a variety of styles and colors, yellow was a major theme of the collection.

“Yellow is a perfect example of the interaction between different elements,” said Tia Wigati, Up2Date’s business development manager. “Its varying hues translate into the warmth of natural elements, like the sun and the soil, and the royal luxury of gold.”

The show’s first session featured streamlined feminine dresses matched with chic overalls and draperies.

“We want to show women that wearing dresses, instead of trousers, is both convenient and fashionable in our daily activities,” Tia said.

Most of the Up2Date pieces utilize spandex and viscose rayon. “We all know these fabrics are soft, smooth, cool and highly absorbent,” Tia said. “To make it more trendy and glamorous, we match them with natural fabrics, such as satin and linen.”

Monochromatic headscarves, in stretchy and knitted fabrics, can be swathed smartly around the head and the neck. “Our headscarves are both simple and easy-to-use,” Tia said. “We want to minimize the use of pins and needles for the scarves as they’re both inconvenient and time-consuming.”

During the show, models displayed long tunics in soft, glowing colors. The straight, narrow cut of these dresses gave them a dynamic look. In contrast, flowing palazzo pants paired with knit boleros were reminiscent of the 1960s and ’70s.

But the highlight of the show was the loose-fitting, low-crotched harem pants, which, at a glance, looked like billowy skirts with tapered legs.

Vests, jackets and hats fitted over headscarves augmented the predominantly youthful look of the collection.

The accessories for the season include pendants made of synthetic leather and wooden ornaments in geometrical patterns. “We aim to create an edgy, modern look with these natural elements,” Tia said.

The audience, which consisted mostly of women, appeared transfixed by the show.

“I never knew that Muslim fashion could be so chic and trendy,” said one audience member, Sarah Ambarwati.

Tia said customers like Up2Date clothing because it is “casual, convenient and easy to mix-and-match.”

“As technology advances, human interactions are becoming more intense, which results in an exchange of different cultures. This exchange gives birth to new and unique fashion styles,” she said.

“Rather than refusing to change, we should see this as something that enriches our fashion styles, by providing us with more alternatives for our daily wear. The challenge is how to follow today’s trends without disregarding the stipulations for Muslim women’s clothing.”

“We always present a fresh fashion style for every new season,” she added.

Up2Date clothes are available at stores across Indonesia. See up2datetrimoda.com for more details.

Future master

The Jakarta Post | Sat, 10/17/2009 8:34 PM

Future master: Adam Hilmi Habibi, 7, performs a Javanese shadow puppet show during a junior puppet master festival in Jatinegara, East Jakarta. The event on Saturday highlighted a post-Ramadan get-together held by the Indonesian Puppet Masters Association. – JP/J. Adiguna

Bali's creative industry yet to use technology

The Jakarta Post, Mon, 03/02/2009 2:18 PM  |  Bali 

DENPASAR: Bali's creative industry might be the most developed in Indonesia, but still lags behind those of countries such as China, France and Singapore for not yet applying modern technology. 

"Our creative industry is peanuts because it still relies on cultural arts and crafts," A. Deni Daruri, president director of the Center for Banking Crisis, said Saturday. 

"The creative industry here has yet to create spectacular works based on modern technology." 

Deni, as reported by Antara news agency, said the development of an industry based on creativity should be supported by skilled human resources, advanced technology and capital, in addition to socio-cultural factors. 

He pointed out China, which he said had managed to stage spectacular shows in the air using advanced technology such as those showcased at the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Deni was speaking at a national seminar on banking poicy to improve creative university, organized by Udayana University's Student Body. 

With arms stretched out

The Jakarta Post  |  Sat, 01/31/2009 4:08 PM  
 

 Kindergarten and elementary students reach their hands to touch two characters of Jalan Sesama, the local version of Sesame Street TV show, during the show's launching ceremony at the National Gallery in Jakarta on Saturday. The show is produced by a non-profit educational institute Sesame Workshop in cooperation with Jakarta-based Creative Indigo Production with funding from the United States Agency for International Development. JP/P.J. LEO

Related Article:

Sesame Street's coming to town!

FM entertains foreign diplomats with wayang puppet show

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda entertained 60 foreign ambassadors with a traditional Javanese puppet show and dance performances after delivering his Annual Foreign Statement here on Thursday. 

Wirajuda said stories in the puppet show, known as Wayang, represented the constant battle between good and evil in contemporary life. He encouraged the audience to understand and identify the issues and apply them within the context of their profession as diplomats. 

"The conflicts and uncertainty surrounding us only cause misery and suffering in the life of innocent civilians. It seems today that the strong can destroy anything when they think it is necessary without feeling the consequences," Wirajuda said. 

"The Gaza Strip has put a dark cloud over our world as more than a thousand innocent civilians have been killed and more than five thousand wounded in three weeks of war. Yet, the rest of the world has only remained spectators," he said during an interval of the Wayang show. 

The performance was part of the Penjambon Coffee Morning, the fourth event organised by the Foreign Minister and attended by a number of foreign ambassadors. 

In the Annual Foreign Statement, Wirajuda said Indonesia would continue to play a role in the world order based on independence and always strive for the creation of a peaceful but just world order. 

He said that while many countries, including Indonesia, were facing the multi-dimensional crisis of climate change, energy shortages, food and financial crises, Indonesia would work hard to cope with the crisis.

Museum shows how Jakarta started

Mariani Dewi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 12/13/2008 11:06 AM  

The Maritime Museum's exhibition "Jakarta: Built by sea trade and ports" showcases hundreds of years of trading activity at the port that started the city's history. 

The organizer hoped the exhibition would draw the government's attention to the site's historical value. 

"Jakarta started with the presence of Sunda Kelapa Port, where the traders stopped. Then the city got bigger until today," said Ida Subaedah, head of the administration office at the 9,700-square-meter museum, Thursday. 

"The museum, the old spice warehouse, was an integral part of the port and its history should not be neglected." 

For the event, there are displays in two rooms providing visitors with evidence of trading. Posters containing the letters of the Ottoman Empire rulers in Turkey show spice relations as early as 1567. 

One of the letters tells how the empire took some native plant seeds from the Botanical Gardens in Batavia (the old name for Jakarta) to Turkey. 

Replicas of ships from Greece, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden are on show, along with replica Indonesian vessels. 

The exhibition will also hold a replica-ship making competition Saturday, with around 200 secondary school students participating. The Swedish Embassy have provided a video presentation about merchant ship Gothenburg. 

Although it will draw a crowd, Ida said it was more important to reach out to the government and trade companies. 

"We hope this event will impact decision makers to pay more attention to revitalization of the area," she said. 

She said the museum had proposed a major redevelopment plan, with the help of a private company. The plan is under the scrutiny of the City Planning office. 

"There are a lot of things we can do if there is cross-office cooperation, including cultural tourism, shopping tourism and food tourism. We can have a joint tour with the Luar Batang mosque or Sunda Kelapa Port," she said. 

The Jakarta administration will sign a memorandum of understanding with the transportation department early next year to allow the start of cooperation with the port. 

Ida said the museum also hoped the event would increase interest among shipping companies and members of the public who had maritime collections to donate or lend their collections to the museum. 

"We have a limited budget to acquire new items so we hope the public can share their collection with us," she said. 

Volunteers are also welcome to help out the 10 members of the museum, as interpreters or tour guides. As a start, the museum plans to train the boy scouts to be tour guides. 

The exhibition ends Dec. 24. Entrance cost to the museum, located on Jl. Pasar Ikan, is Rp 2,000 (17 US cents) for adults, Rp 1,500 for students and Rp 600 for children.

Korean dance group to close art summit

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A work by a Korean choreographer will close Art Summit Indonesia V 2007 at the Graha Bhakti Budayal hall at Taman Ismail Marzuki in Central Jakarta on Nov. 29 and 30.

The choreographer, Ahn Ae-soon, combines movements from traditional Korean dances and modern dance in her work The White Noise, which illustrates the daily pressures on modern society through a humorous lens.

A Korean Embassy counsellor, Yoon Moon-han, said Ahn Ae-soon thought that many people were insensitive to the sounds around them.

"However, people feel afraid if there is no sound," he said.

"White noise" is a term used to refer to a sound that blends all audible frequencies equally over the range of the frequency band. It neutralizes surrounding sounds and is often used to reduce general noise.

In Ae-soon's work, all sounds -- footsteps, water bubbling through a fountain, a pop song -- blend together.

Ahn has staged more than 70 performances in her home country and 30 performances abroad over the last 20 years. She is listed as one of Korea's best dancers in the Oxford Dictionary of Dance (2000).

ASI V 2007 will be The White Noise's second performance, said Yoon, after it was presented in Korea in January this year.

"This contemporary art is very rare for Indonesians and also Koreans who live in Indonesia. I hope people will come to appreciate the performance," he said.

The 70-minutes dance is divided into eight chapters and two intermissions, which are filled with animations.

ASI's chairperson for production Ratna Riantiarno said Ae-Soon's dancers will collaborate with 10 local dancers from Teater Indonesia.

"Our local dancers will help them enliven the atmosphere at the end of the show," she said.

"I guarantee the show will be spectacular and unique as the group brought a cargo-load of equipment, which includes a conveyor," she added.

Tickets are Rp 40,000 (about US$4.29) for members of the general public and Rp 20,000 ($2.14) for students.

Ratna said ASI was meant to introduce contemporary arts to Indonesians. "Many Indonesians think that contemporary arts are hard to understand, however, they don't need to understand the art. Just enjoy the show." (adt)

Middle class prefer information to soaps, says survey

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Although soap operas remain the most popular TV programs in Indonesia, most middle-income and educated households prefer news and other informative programs, such as talk shows and showbiz news, a survey reveals.

The results of the TV audience and viewing survey, which was conducted in 10 major Indonesian cities by AGB Nielsen Media Research Indonesia in July-September, also shows that, like their parents, only a small percentage of children from middle-income homes are partial to soaps, or sinetron as they are known here.

According to the survey, the households with a monthly income of more than Rp 3 million (about US$315) also preferred to watch soccer matches, musical programs like the Ungu-Nidji Superband Duet, Western children's movies like Harry Potter, and comedy shows, such as Extravaganza.

"Those who are highly educated, such as those who have attended university or equivalent institutions, also tend to watch informative shows, whereas those who are less educated prefer entertainment offerings, such as variety, reality and game shows," AGB Nielsen marketing communications executive Andini Wijendaru told a media briefing Thursday.

She said that other types of musical programs, such as Indonesian Idol and Mamamia, were favored by the upper-income brackets, in addition to Western movies and TV series, and sports tournaments, like the Asia Cup.

In terms of length of time spent viewing, housewives were found to spend the most time per day watching TV, with an average of 3 hours and 12 minutes, 59 minutes of which was spent watching soap operas and the remainder on religion-themed shows.

Other viewers would spend an average of between 2.4 hours and 2.9 hours a day watching a variety of shows, depending on their age segment, educational level, profession and socio-economic background.

"The kind of TV shows people watch depends on their demographic backgrounds, and this is confirmed by our survey," said Hellen Katherina, AGB Nielsen's associate director for marketing and client service.

The AGB Nielsen 2007 third-quarter survey essentially highlights the correlation between a viewer's socioeconomic status and his TV viewing preferences, particularly during prime time.

It reveals that 72.07 percent of soap operas' total viewership comes from households with monthly incomes of less than Rp 1,500,000 (about US$159.63).

"People with a monthly income of below Rp 500,000 spend the most time watching TV, whereas those who make more than Rp 3 million spend the least. The report shows that 74.77 percent of total TV viewership is made up of lower-middle income households," Andini added.

AGB Nielsen, which has been conducting audience surveys for TV networks and advertisers in Indonesia since 2004, carried out the July-September survey by stratified random sampling covering 42 million individuals in 10 major Indonesian cities, including Greater Jakarta, Bandung in West Java, Medan in North Sumatra, Makassar in South Sulawesi and Denpasar in Bali. (amr)

Jakarta to feature best Australian fashion

The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA (Antara): The best of Australian fashion will be featured in Jakarta this month, the Australian Embassy in Jakarta said on Monday.

The first Australian Fashion Parade, in Kemang this Wednesday, will showcase the latest collections from 12 prominent designers, including Alannah Hill, Alice McCall, Camilla and Marc Carl, Josh Goot, Kirrily Johnston, Ksubi, Lover Nicola Finetti, Sass & Bide, Tina Kalivas and Willow. It will feature collections that went on show for the first time during the recent 2007 Australian Fashion Week in Sydney.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said he was delighted to have an opportunity to bring the latest collection of Australian fashion designs to Indonesia.

"Many of the designers showcasing their work in Jakarta have attracted international acclaim for their fresh and innovative designs and strong branding," Farmer said. "I am sure their latest collections will be well received in what is a highly discerning market for fashion here in Jakarta."

Australia-RI share giant puppets

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer has announced that the giant puppet theater company, the Snuff Puppets, was hosting a residency by Indonesian artist and stage manager Johan Didik Handianto from October to December 2007.

"This is an exciting opportunity for the Snuff Puppets to continue their creative collaboration with the artistic community of Indonesia," the Ambassador was quoted as saying by an Australian Embassy media release on Wednesday.

It said Farmer and his wife were among the thousands who gathered at Yogyakarta`s Alun-Alun Utara in June to enjoy a spectacular and highly amusing blend of Australian and Indonesian creative excellence.

"These people put on a great show together," Farmer said.

The Snuff Puppets are a giant puppet company based in Melbourne, Australia, which combines puppetry, live music, and visual and physical theater to create a unique and comic performance language.

In May and June this year, the Snuff Puppets collaborated with the Bagong Kussudiardjo Arts Centre on the People`s Puppet Project to entertain the people of Yogyakarta during the Yogyakarta Arts Festival 2007 with a performance of giant puppets at the Alun-Alun Utara.

Johan -- a lighting and stage designer -- was a key participant in the creative process leading up to the performance.

Through his eight-week visit to Melbourne, Johan will gain an understanding of the Snuff Puppets theatrical model and its productions.

The Gajah Mada University graduate will also be able to contribute to the existing network of creative cooperation between artists and arts organizations in Melbourne and Yogyakarta.

The longstanding bilateral residency program is supported by the Australia Indonesia Institute, an Australian Government Initiative, in cooperation with the Ford Foundation.

The residency program is managed by University of Melbourne`s Asialink and the Kelola Foundation.

Marine festival offers attractions in W. Sumatra

The Jakarta Post, Syofiardi Bachyul

The Youth and Sports Ministry organized last month a marine festival at a beautiful beach in Padang, West Sumatra. The annual event, called the International Youth and Sport Marine Festival (FIPOB) was aimed at promoting tourism in the province.

Apart from sports contests such as boat race, diving, swimming, fishing, surfing, paragliding and many more, the festival also highlighted cultural shows.

It also saw culinary competitions like cooking lemang (local snack) and crushing chilis.

There was a contest dedicated to fishermen, namely pulling the fishing net competition.

The most appealing contest was the kite competition during which various shapes of kites were flown.

Expatriates from Brunei Darussalam, Germany and Malaysia took part in various competitions.

RI expands tourism market to eastern Europe

The Jakarta Post

Journalist Urip Hudiono from The Jakarta Post joined the Culture and Tourism Ministry's recent road show to Ukraine's capital Kiev, Norway's Oslo and Italy's Milan to promote Indonesian tourism. Below is his report on the tour.

Come rain or high water, Indonesia in the end still manages to remain a sunny paradise for tourists worldwide. Its white sandy beaches, pristine nature and rich culture are unscathed by security problems, natural disasters and even outbreaks of disease.

Yet, in today's increasingly competitive tourism sector, Indonesia can no longer afford to take for granted its ability to attract more visitors to come. Other countries, including developing ones, are polishing their own attractions -- and sometimes even "stealing" others-- to grab a piece of that lucrative market of globe-trotters.

It is against this background that the Culture and Tourism Ministry organized a promotional road show in June to keep Indonesia on the tourism map.

The three-leg tour to Ukraine's capital Kiev, Norway's capital Oslo and Italy's fashion capital Milan was intended to open up new tourist markets, reintroduce Indonesia's cultural attractions to the world, and roll out the country's latest tourism promotion strategy: promoting events at major tourist destinations.

Regarding this strategy, known in the trade as the "Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions" (MICE) strategy, the Culture and Tourism Ministry's secretary-general, Sapta Nirwandar, said that this promotional approach was common nowadays, and Indonesia needed to do all it could not to miss out.

"The new paradigm now is not just about attracting ordinary tourists, but ensuring that all visitors become tourists," he said.

"We can do this through MICE, because by holding events, attendees are likely to visit tourist destinations during their stay. Everyone is now doing this, so we have to as well."

Indonesia already has two large events lined up -- the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart in Bali on Sept. 25-28, which is expected to attract 1,500 travel firms and lead to deals worth some US$500 million, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Dec. 13-14, also in Bali.

The "incentives" element of MICE involves actively attracting large multinational corporations to send their employees here on all-expenses-paid vacations as incentives.

"Everyone needs a holiday once in a while to stay productive, and companies know that. So they facilitate their employees in this regard," Sapta said. "We can approach such companies, and offer them our best tourism package deals."

Indonesia is hoping to attract 6 million tourists this year, and generate US$6 billion in earnings. It wants to increase the figure to 7 million next year, during Visit Indonesia Year 2008.

The number of overseas visitors from January-July amounted to nearly 2.57 million, up nearly 13 percent from the same period a year ago, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported earlier this month. Last year, only 4.87 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia, generating $4.4 billion in earnings. The original target had been 5 million.

Meanwhile, the road-show's stop in Kiev was aimed at opening up new markets in eastern Europe.

"Since the Ukraine's political and economic reform, there are now many Ukrainians who can afford and are eager to go out and see the world," said Indonesian ambassador to the Ukraine, Alexander Laturiuw.

During a meeting with local tourism officials, Indonesian and Ukrainian officials agreed to work on visa-on arrival agreements and direct flights to increase the number of Ukrainian tourists, which by June had reached 1,400, compared to 2,939 last year. Indonesia hopes to increase the figure to 4,000 this year.

From Norway, which has long been a tourism market for Indonesia but has yet to be fully exploited, Sapta expects a 20 percent increase from last year's 16,000 visitors. Similarly, Indonesia wants to increase the number of visitors from Italy, one of Indonesia's main markets in Europe, from 40,992 tourists last year.

Indonesia's tourism industry received a blow just after the road show when the European Union decided to ban Indonesian airlines from flying to the region on safety concerns.

The lifting of the ban is now being reconsidered, while figures from the BPS show that it resulted in no significant drop in tourist arrivals.

On Indonesia's hopes to consolidate its unique cultural products through the road show, the ministry's head of foreign cooperation, Nies Anggraeni, said this was important given the growing trend among neighboring countries to promote a number of Indonesian traditions as their own.

"Our batik, the Dayak traditions in Kalimantan, and even the West Javanese 'angklung' traditional musical instrument are among the things that could be lost to other countries if we do not promote them ourselves," she said.

The road show presented cultural shows in all three cities, and a batik fashion show in Milan -- all of which received positive responses from the audiences, many of whom said they would like to visit Indonesia some day.