Art is an inseparable part of human life. Art is present to bring beauty, peace and various meanings stored in it. Therefore, many people are interested in exploring and studying art.
In Indonesia, currently various art communities have developed with various activities. Some are purely as a forum for the development of certain arts, while others are aimed at empowering certain groups.
So, what are these communities? Read more in the following review.
Jatiwangi Art Factory
The arts community does not always grow in big cities. Even in rural areas, art communities can develop, one of which is the Jatiwangi Art Factory (JAF). This community was initiated by Arief Yudi Rahman in September 2005. He transformed his family's former tile factory into an art space called Jebor Hall. This space is the center of JAF activities in Jatiwangi District, Majalengka.
JAF is known as a center for creating various products from clay. However, they are also active in organizing other activities, such as the Jatiwangi Residency Festival, the Rampak Genteng Festival, the 27s Forum, and the Bulanan Market. In addition, in 2018 JAF inaugurated the Land Culture Museum to preserve cultural assets related to land. It is hoped that the establishment of JAF will be able to become a creative arts and culture space that can empower rural communities and be a solution to conflicts related to land.
Mess Room 56
Ruang MES 56 is an arts community in Yogyakarta that focuses on developing photography-based art. Founded in 2002, this community is fronted by a group of young people who agreed to unite their thoughts to develop photography and contemporary art that intersects with other scientific disciplines. They move with independent funding in the hope of being able to create an open, creative and independent society.
The artists in Room MES 56 work collectively in managing a house which is used as a work studio, study class, playroom, and residence. Apart from that, the MES 56 Room functions as a laboratory for the production and dissemination of ideas for the art of photography and focuses on an exploratory and experimental approach.
Fat Velvet
In 2016 a group of women in the Flower City who named their community, Fat Velvet, appeared to care about women's, social and cultural issues. Their movement stems from questions about the position of women in the creative field. The founders of this community believe that the various problems experienced by women do not actually lie in the inability to carry out their roles and actualize themselves. They agreed to show a new perspective through various actions so that growing inequality can be eliminated.
During its five years of existence, Fat Velvet has carried out various activities in the fields of music, visual art, crafting, creative businesses and literature. Some of their creations have also been exhibited at many events, for example the Ken Dedes Ontology show which was shown at the Indonesia Kaya Gallery.
Hysteria Collective
The lack of space for young Semarang art lovers led Adin and his friends to establish the Hysteria Collective on September 11 2004. This is an arts community that houses Semarang young people from various artistic fields. They actively carry out various activities, such as exhibitions, performances, discussions, film screenings and festivals regarding arts and culture.
So far, the Hysteria Collective is often referred to as a laboratory and creative impact hub in Semarang. This refers to a space that involves many networks, communities, and operates in many fields. Meanwhile, the choice of a city as the main location is none other than because the city has a variety of complex issues that cannot just be ignored. Based on this view, the Hysteria Collective has entered villages in Semarang, such as Karangsari, Bustaman, Petemasan, Bergota, Sendangguwo, Jatiwayang, and Randusari to revive the existence of art and culture.
Nan Spilled
Nan Tumpah is an arts and culture community that was founded in Padang in 2010. This community, which was founded by Mahatma Muhammad, Halvika Padma, and Yosefintia Sinta, operates in the field of traditional and contemporary art. The artistic activities carried out are not limited to just one field. They work in many areas, such as theater, dance, fine arts, new media arts, literature/literacy, arts and culture studies. Apart from that, Nan Tumpah also manages a community reading room in the Padang Pariaman area.
In its various activities, Nan Tumpah designs sustainable arts and culture programs through performing arts, producing poetry musical albums, discussions, training, exhibitions, and publishing several written works and literary books. Since its founding, Nan Tumpah has produced 42 works of performing arts and organized dozens of performance activities in public spaces through collaboration with various communities or agencies. From its work, Nan Tumpah is listed as the most productive arts community in producing performing arts works in West Sumatra.
These are the communities in Indonesia that have developed and contributed to the advancement of arts and culture. This community is not only a forum for development, but also a medium for resolving conflicts and empowering the people around them.