Arts and Crafts in Jakarta

The diversity evident in Indonesia's 300 plus ethnic groups is reflected in the diversity of its art forms. Just as every ethnic group throughout the archipelago has its own language/dialect, cuisine, traditional dress and traditional homes, they have also developed their own textiles, ornaments, carvings, items for daily use and special celebrations. The rich cultural heritage of art and handicrafts is one of Indonesia's true national riches. From 17th century, the Javanese arts and culture has left its mark in Jakarta. The ancient beliefs and traditions still exist in the art forms. Influence of China and India are very much prominent in the art and crafts of Indonesia. Later Indonesian art and craft was also influences by the Arabs and the Europeans who visited the islands. You can feel the influence of the Javanese culture in the music, theater and dance in the Betawi culture, like seen in  Wayang Kulit Betawi and Lenong. Few of the arts forms that are influenced from Islam are The Japin/ Zapin dance, the Rebana and Gambus orchestra. The Tanjidor orchestra which is quite famous in Jakarta has its origin from the Dutch. The Chinese gave Jakarta various dance forms such as Cokek, Gambang and Kromong. You will find the influence of Bali culture in the Betawi Cokek dance shows. In Jakarta you can find well established culture and foreign art centers. These centers help in the promotion of various arts and culture and language by the use of art galleries, learning centers, libraries. Jawaharlal Nehru Indian cultural center, Netherland Erasmus Huis, France Centre Cultural Français, UK British Council, Japan Foundation, Germany Goethe-Institute are few cultural centre in Jakarta.

 

 

Visual Art

Paintings

The country is known more for its inimitable works of art, which are exclusive to the country. Painting as an art form was really developed in the 19th and 20th century and includes batik paintings, the highly stylized paintings of Bali which depict village and traditional life. Balinese paintings are intricate, expressive, traditional and modern . These paintings mostly concentrate on depicting the beauty of nature, marvellous landscapes or illustrate themes from the traditional dances. Apart from the traditional paintings, Indonesia has proved to be a fertile ground for many internationally known painters either Indonesians or Europeans who settled in Indonesia to pursue their creative endeavours. Most of these are big names in the Art market and their works often fetch very high prices. Today, Modern Indonesian painters use a wide variety of styles and themes.

 

Puppets

Puppets have been used for centuries in Indonesia to tell the stories of the ancient epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabarata, as well as ancient myths. Modern stories also utilize this ancient art form for contemporary audiences. Puppets fall into two major classifications - wayang kulit - of Central Java, shadow play are made of intricately carved and colourfully painted leather, and wayang golek - wooden puppets of West Java, puppets are made of the light but strong arbasiah wood and dressed in batik. There are several varieties of wooden puppets. Good guys, bad guys, gods, demons, nobles, giants, clowns, princes and princesses and monkeys, all can be found in traditional puppet forms. Less commonly seen are the Wayang Klitik, a flat wooden puppet.

 

Batik, Ikat and Songket cloth

Woven cloth is found all over the country, with different motifs, patterns and colours according to their respective region. Batik, a wax-resist dyed cloth. Geometric or floral designs, symbols of religion or social status appear on the cloth used for clothing or furnishings. Many colours are used, though blue, red and brown predominate, but sometimes the batik is enriched with gold leaf. The noted songket and ikat weaving are made in Sumbawa, Flores, Kalimantan, South Sumatra, West Sumatra, Bali and East Timor. Ikat, literally `tied strings', is fabric made by a different process of resist dyeing. Songket is a fabric produced by supplementary weft technique.

 

Ceramics

Ceramics made their way to Indonesia over centuries of trade with China dating back to 205 BC. Ceramic items range from everyday common vessels and plates, to fine ceramic pieces that became heirlooms passed down from generation to generation. The Ceramic Museum in Jakarta, ceramic study groups at the Indonesian Heritage Society and a wealth of books on Ceramics will help introduce you to this fascinating ancient art form.

 

Jewellery

One of the richest art forms in Indonesia reflects the Indonesian woman's desire to ornament her traditional dress, which wouldn't be complete without various items of traditional jewellery. From modern designs in 22 karat gold, to intricate filigree silver jewellery from Yogyakarta, using precious and semi-precious stones, or modern plastic, wood or ceramic, there are many designs, materials and price ranges to choose from. Antique jewelry (both authentic and reproductions) is a favourite and antique trade beads, or their reproductions, are very popular. Mabe pearls are another favourite. You can purchase the loose pearls and have them set in your own gold or silver design. Pearl farms harvest huge quantities of mabe and fresh water pearls in Lampung, Maluku and Sulawesi. A trip to the gem markets of Jakarta or Kalimantan is a fun adventure and provides an introduction to the variety of gemstones available in Indonesia. These include diamonds, South Sea pearls, opal, sapphire, amethyst and banded agates. Depend on a trusted jeweller or shop with knowledgeable friends.

 

Wooden Carvings

Wooden carving traditions and skills can be found throughout the Indonesian archipelago, with the most famous being from Bali, Central Java, Madura, Sumatra and Irian Jaya. Different areas developed very different traditions so that many items are immediately identifiable as being created by particular ethnic groups. Most popular are Javanese and Balinese wooden image carvings, Jepara lattice-like three-dimensional reliefs and Irianese primitive carvings. Woods used in carving include ebony, teak, mahogany, ironwood, sandalwood and other lesser known indigenous woods. The price may often be related to the type of wood used, as harder woods are more difficult to carve.

 

Natural Fibres

A wide range of items, both useful and decorative are made from natural fibres such as rattan, bamboo and grasses. Rice spoons, bowls, containers, woven mats, baskets, lamp shades, boxes, natural paper products and a multitude of other items are made from natural fibres in Indonesia. Bamboo, while exotic in the west, is one of the most practical natural plants. The uses of bamboo in Indonesia are numerous and Indonesians utilize bamboo extensively for a variety of items including baskets, winnows, cups, buckets, furniture and woven walls in traditional homes. While bamboo was originally used for practical items around the house, these have been further developed into new items which sell well as souvenirs. Bone, rubber, coconut shell, fibres, horn and other natural materials are used in many folk handicrafts from blow pipes, figurines, bags, storage items, painted umbrellas, and even ships made entirely from cloves.

 

Performing Art

Dance

Indonesian dance reflects the diversity of culture from ethnic groups that composed the nation of Indonesia. Austronesian roots and Melanesian tribal dance forms are visible, and influences ranging from neighbouring Asian countries such as India, China, and Middle East to European western styles through colonization. Each ethnic group has their own distinct dances which makes total dances in Indonesia more than 3000 Indonesian original dances. Like most of the performing arts of the Orient, dance in Indonesia is also believed to have begun as a form of religious worship. Today, with the modern influences steadily creeping in, the old traditions of dance and drama are still being preserved in the many of the government-run or supervised art academies and dance schools. Some of their famous dances are Rangda, Barong, Legong, Kecak, Topeng and the Ramayana Ballet.

 

Music

Indonesian gamelan music is the best known Indonesian music. This instrumental ensemble music played on a variety of metal pots, gongs, and drums (the word gamelan refers to the collection of instruments themselves) has enchanted first-time listeners  with its blend of exotic modality and shimmering timbre. Said to have been created by a Javanese king in the 3rd century, the gamelan has retained its ceremonial function in the royal courts of Java and Bali, while evolving into a modern folk form. Among the many different music styles from the various cultures across this maritime continent, two other major music types that have become common are kroncong and dangdut. Angklung musical orchestra, native of West Java, received international recognition as UNESCO has listed the traditional West Java musical instrument made from bamboo in the list of intangible cultural heritage. The soft Sasando music from West Timor is completely different.