pele SciaSction - new media

INDONESIA
traditions, myths and beliefs. Exploring the origins of
these designs and what they mean is fascinating.
Wayang -- 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 - the leather or shadow puppet of Central Java,
and wayang golek - wooden puppets of West Java.
There are several varieties of wooden puppets.
Some expats enjoy collecting the same character by
various artisans, or all the characters in a scene or
story, or just characters that strike their fancy. Good
guys, bad guys, gods, demons, nobles, giants,
clowns, princes and princesses and monkeys ... all
can be found in traditional puppet forms.
Natural Fibers And Materials
A wide range of items, both useful and decorative
are made from natural fibers such as pandanus,
rattan, bamboo and grasses. 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. The fine strands used for fans,
purses, bags, hats, baskets and other items. Larger,
thick strips are used for flower baskets, walls and
other items. While bamboo was originally used for
practical items around the house, these have been
further developed into new items which sell well as
souvenirs.
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 jewelry.
Ornamentation used with traditional dress is rich in
symbolism and design. From modern designs in 22
karat gold, to intricate filigree silver jewelry 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.
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. Beware that many stones are actually
manufactured ... what is termed masakan in Indonesia.
Wood 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.
Stone Carvings
Volcanic rock are carved to create statues depicting characters
from ancient Indonesian myths and epics. These are
predominantly found in Yogyakarta and Bali where stone
carving traditions date back over 900 years and were highly
developed during the construction of major temples in these
areas.
Paintings
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 as well
as modern oils and acrylics. Famous Indonesian painters such
as Raden Saleh, command high prices on the international
market and at auctions in Singapore and Jakarta.
Musical Instruments
Along with the other arts forms that developed in great diversity
across the archipelago, cultural diversity also lead to the
development of different musical traditions, thus different
instruments. Angklung from West Java, Gamelan from
Yogyakarta or Bali, flutes and gongs from West Java are
favorite collectibles of expats. Gamelan links.
OPEN TRADE 28
Oct-Dec 2007