Posted in: Arts

Talking Indonesia: promoting Indonesian culture through literature

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After years of obscurity, Indonesian literature is having a moment on the world stage. In Talking Indonesia this week, Dr Ken Setiawan chats to Lily Yulianti Farid about why Indonesian literature has been overlooked for so long, and how community initiatives are helping to promote Indonesian books.

Visual Jalanan: amplifying voices from the urban fringe

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Most Indonesian streets appear tired and unloved. But they are also the only truly public spaces in Indonesian cities. Dr Amanda Achmadi profiles Visual Jalanan, an initiative that aims to document the provocative, profound and often silly visual works and activities found on streets across the country.

Tisna Sanjaya and the art of snapping and mapping

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Dr Edwin Jurriens profiles the independent Bandung artist Tisna Sanjaya, one of 15 contemporary Indonesian artists presenting work at the Shout! exhibition, part of Multicultural Arts Victoria's Mapping Melbourne festival.

Indonesian cinema soars, no thanks to the government

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2015 has been a stellar year for Indonesian cinema, with more than a dozen films competing at international festivals. Dr Gaston Soehadi writes that this success has been achieved in the almost complete absence of government support.

Spectre of censorship casts a shadow over Ubud festival

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The Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (UWRF) was forced on Friday to cancel planned sessions on the 1965 massacre following pressure from local authorities. Dr Ken Setiawan, whose father was imprisoned on Buru Island by the Soeharto regime, reflects on this extraordinary crackdown on freedom of expression.

Remembering 1965 across generations

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Fifty years after the beginning of the 1965 violence, many children and grandchildren of those targeted also continue to feel its impact. Dr Kate McGregor examines two cultural memory projects that involve collaboration across generations and aim to crack the resilience of anti-communist versions of history.

Q&A: Eka Kurniawan on 'Beauty Is a Wound'

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Beauty Is a Wound, the just-released English translation of Eka Kurniawan’s 2002 epic novel, Cantik Itu Luka, is receiving glowing reviews, and has prompted comparisons with Salman Rushdie and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Indonesia at Melbourne had a fascinating chat with Eka before his appearance at the Melbourne Writers Festival on 28 August.

Kuda Lumping: trance, tradition and technology

Kuda Lumping is a Javanese trance dance that will be performed for the first time in Australia on 7 August. Indonesian producer Kristie Monfries explains the tradition and reflects on some of the challenges of bringing the ritual to a western performance space.

Indonesia at Melbourne is supported by:

Melbourne Law School Asia Institute Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society Indonesia Forum Faculty of Arts Indonesia Democracy Hallmark Research Initiative

Indonesia at Melbourne

Room 726, Level 7, 185 Pelham St,
The University of Melbourne
Parkville 3010 VIC Australia

Phone: +61 3 83448581

Email:  indo-at-melb@unimelb.edu.au

Date created: 1 July 2015

Editor: Aron Corbett

Editorial board: 
Professor Tim Lindsey
Dr Tim Mann

We acknowledge and pay respect to the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which our campuses are situated.

Phone:13 MELB (13 6352) | International: +(61 3) 9035 5511
The University of Melbourne ABN:84 002 705 224
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