Photo Exhibit Showcases Ethnic Communities, the Environment

One photo shows a group of Dayak tribespeople on a riverbank in a Kalimantan rainforest, the air seemingly filled with heat and humidity. In another picture, people from West Java’s Badui community prepare a ceremony in the open air next to their protected forest. In a third, a tattooed mother from the Mentawai tribe in Sumatra holds her baby.

These photos, and more, of various ethnic communities in Indonesia, will be displayed in an outdoor exhibition to commemorate Earth Day, on the exterior wall of Cikini Railway Station, Central Jakarta, starting today. “Recording the Archipelago in Photos: A Human Perspective on the Environment” is an exhibition by about 80 professional and amateur photographers, including hobbyists and beginners.

“This is not only an exhibition from good photographers, but also from photographers who are concerned for the earth,” said Refi Mascot, coordinator of the exhibition and founder of Bau Tanah (Smell of The Earth). Bau Tanah, the main organizer of the event, is a community of photographers, artists, activists, students, street performers and others interested in using their creativity to raise awareness about the environment.

Some of Indonesia’s best-known photographers are taking part in the exhibition, including Adi Purnomo, an ethno-photographer from Antara, and Don Hasman, an adventure photographer. Ray Bachtiar, leader of the Pinhole Photography community in Indonesia, and Didit Subagyo, who has had his photographs published locally and abroad, are also participating. Up-and-coming young photographers, including Sihol Sitanggang and Des Mulyoto Sugandhi will also be part of the exhibition.

At tonight’s opening, Don Hasman will present a slide show on the lives of the Kanekes (Baduy) people of West Java, who for centuries stuck to traditional farming methods and community rules to sustain their environment.

Didit D Subagio will also show slides from his time spent with communities in the Tengger mountains of East Java. The Tengger people inherited most of their values from the bygone age of the Majapahit Kingdom and most are devout Hindus or Mahayana Buddhists.

Discussions about these communities, including their roles in maintaining their environments and the changes currently taking place in their societies, will follow the slide shows

Open 24 hours a day until April 27, the exhibition is dedicated to communities on the Indonesian archipelago that have maintained their traditional wisdom to maintain the natural environment.

“They are the real defenders of our life on earth,” Refi said. “Some people, government people and some NGOs go to them to try to teach them how to live their lives, better lives they say, but then end up destroying everything.

“Instead of teaching them, we have to learn from them. We have to learn how to sustain our earth.”

The exhibition will focus on positive representations of the land.

“We see evidence of the bad environment everyday, don’t we?” Refi said. “This is an exhibition of appreciation towards the people who maintain the earth, so we will display some breathtaking pictures of nature. Beautiful and powerful.”

By mounting the photos along the 80-meter wall beside the railway station, everyone has free access to the display.

“School kids, trash pickers, tourists and street kids will be able to mingle to see and talk about these photos,” Refi said. “If we did the exhibition in a gallery, people would be afraid to come.”

Every day during the show, Bau Tanah members will be available from around midday throughout the afternoon to guide children and students on tours of the exhibition.

Guests are also invited to join impromptu performances on the sidewalk.

“There will be street and professional performers singing and giving other performances on the sidewalk,” Refi said. “When we held an exhibition last year for Jakarta’s anniversary, the event became a 24-hour day and night event. This year it is going to be the same.” Photo: Refi Mascot is the founder of exhibition organizer Bau Tanah. (Courtesy of Refi Mascot)

Resourse The JakartaGlobe

< Prev