LONG REGARDED AS A CENTER FOR TRADITIONAL INDONESIAN CULTURE, JOGJAKARTA IS ALSO A CITY OF RENEWED CREATIVE ENERGY, AS NATASHA DRAGUN WRITES

The streets are bustling at dawn. Stall keepers around the Bird Market reluctantly rise and throw the covers off cages covering all manner of creatures - not just birds, but beetles, bugs, lizards and bats. They flutter and stir in unison as the sun rises over the historic buildings of the city.

“Jogjakarta has always been a creative hub,” says Ms Mie Cornoedus, one of the founders of the city’s artsy Via Via Cafe. “There have always been lots of innovative things happening here.”

For Indonesians and international visitors, the central Javanese city of Jogjakarta has long been considered a cradle for Indonesian arts and culture. Now home to some three million people, Jogja had its heyday in the 1940s when it became the capital of the Republic of Indonesia from 1946 until 1950. Universities sprang up around town, giving the city a youthful vibe and attracting Indonesia’s best, brightest and most creative minds.

During these years some of the country’s most important artists set up residence here, including names like Affandi, Sujoyono, and Hendra Gunawan. Together these two established the Pelukis Indonesia Muda, or Young Indonesian Painters group, to nurture local talent. Other groups followed soon after, earning Jogja a creative edge that endures today.

In May 2006, the province bore the brunt of a 6.3-magnitude earthquake. Hundreds of thousands of houses were demolished.

“Through all the suffering, the local community kind of bonded together,” remembers Cornoedus, a resident of Jogja for more than 14 years. Her café is nestled off the popular, narrow Jalan Prawirotaman. Visitors here sip strong Javanese coffee while perusing local art and listening to indie pop bands play impromptu sets in an open garage along the street.

“The earthquake definitely brought the city’s creative vibe out into the open. There was a kick of adrenalin.”

This kick found its way into the arts scene and hospitality industry. The hotels scene has flourished, and Jogja is home to a host of boutique hotels, including the stylish new Phoenix Hotel.

“The success of Jogja is mainly based on keeping this original touch and Javanese traditional culture,” says Franck Loison, general manager of the property, which is the Accor group’s first MGallery Collection hotel in Indonesia. Set in a beautiful 1918 building, the hotel blends elegant antique Javanese and Chinese decorative flourishes. In a similar vein are Villa Hani’s, a beautifully restored wooden Javanese guest house, and Rumah Sleman Private Boutique Hotel, a 15-room property with regal trimmings.

A number of new art galleries emerged after 2006, including the acclaimed Jogja Gallery, across the road from close supporter, the Kraton. Exhibitions showcase Indonesia’s hottest modern art, including local arts group Taring Padi, and Apotik Komik, a collective of artists with a penchant for classy graffiti.

The latter was one of the driving forces behind a 2002 urban art movement that took to the streets with support from the Sultan. The city quickly became adorned youthful urban murals. As part of a bid to celebrate Jogja’s arts scene, the municipal administration allocated more than 11,000 meters of wall space around town to mural painting. Artists and the public came together to decorate the city.

There have been dozens of spin-off events – the most recent saw a group of American artists painting large scale murals around Jogjakarta.

The city today is a kaleidoscope of color. Wander the narrow streets around the Kraton and you’ll encounter images depicting goggle-eyed fish jumping out of a bowl as well as more serious messages about public health and safety.

Even the cluttered neighborhoods, thousands of overlapping shacks piled on top of each other by the Kali River, seem cheery. Kids play soccer on dusty pitches, oblivious to the hulking mural of a cartoon character on an adjacent wall, warning parents to immunize their children.

The city’s cultural injection coincided with a global shift to shine a spotlight on arts in Asia, giving the local scene a much-needed boost. “Recently, the arts scene here has become a lot more public,” says Cornoedus. “Collectors become interested, and that, in turn, encourages more creativity here.”

High profile events of note now include the Jogjakarta Arts Festival, the International Gamelan Festival, and the Yogyakarta Biennale. On a smaller scale, the city’s cutting-edge Cemeti Gallery has established the Landing Soon residential program, which sees Dutch artists live and work with artists from Indonesia.

Other spaces leading the scene include Tembi Contemporary, an airy gallery on the outskirts of town, complete with a serene guesthouse. Sri Sosanti, set next to the Hyatt Regency, hosts visual art exhibitions from some of the country’s most cutting-edge artists, overlooking a lush landscaped garden and beautiful boutique selling local handicrafts.

For a taste of fashion, one of the best places to shop is the brand new MC2 space, which houses a handful of uber-cool boutiques from Indonesia’s most creative design forces – street wear from brands like Castle Rock, Mighty, Rockmen, and Badger. Many of these new talents are drawn to the city by the creative energy of its past.

“Indonesians and an increasing number of foreigners will always be attracted to Jogjakarta because it’s the heart of Javanese culture,” concludes Loison. “You can find the real Indonesia here.”

Contacts

Bentara Budaya Gallery
Jln Suroto No. 2, Kota Baru tel: (0)274 56 0404
Cemeti Art House
Jln D.I. Panjaitan 41 tel: (0)274 37 1105
Jogja Gallery
Jln Pekapalan 7 Alun-Alun Utara tel: (0)274 41 9999
Kedai Kebun
Jln Tirtodipuran 3 tel: (0)274 37 6114
Via Via Café & Gallery
Jln Prawirotaman 30 tel: (0)274 54 0171
V Art Gallery & Café
Jln Laksda Adisucipto 165 tel: (0)274 581 1027
Tembi Contemporary
Jln Parangtritis tel: (0)274 688 1919
MC2 Mall
Jln Abu Bakar Ali 2 tel: (0)274 702 9085
Sasanti Restaurant & Gallery
Jln Palagan TP No. 52 A Sariharjo Ngaglik tel: (0)274 650 9860