By Yuk Yi Lam

The Festival MatTa air is an event that groups artists and designers from different countries. it’s one of the biggest festival in Java. The idea of the festival is to use art to encourage people and artists join together, also, the main ideas is to get people attention on the environment challenge in Indonesia. At the Festival, they have many kind of different showcase and event,such as shops selling artwork from artists, Indonesia local band show, Indonesia traditional dace show, up cycling workshop, bicycle tour and film watching. Im in the group that to help Sarah to plan and design the event entries, we designed poster and putting some display in the entry. The main idea is to show the message of “saving water, save our world’’, Using visual to convey the ideas to visitor. the artwork from festival Mata air  are all handmade non print and made by up cycling materials.

I think is interesting that they can use any nature material to create artwork rather than using a computer and printer. The art work that I like most is the poster from festival Ma Ta air that create by wood block painting, the beautiful pattern are all done by hand and it takes a lot of time and patient. The woodblock painting is not just a poster, I think it also put some inspiration of Indonesia traditional patterns and it’s a bit like the pattern that I saw on batik. Although, woodblock painting is hard to print in really detailed with colours, but black and white colour works really well in a punk style.

Moreover, we also visit the street art tour in Yogyakarta, It was so amazing to know that people allow artists to draw on there wall, I think it wouldn’t happens in my hometown Hong Kong. Street art would also is an intention is a distinct identity of Yogyakarta and Yogyakarta can one day be celebrated and be famous for street art.

I found an article about street Art: Between art and politics, Wicaksono(2013)mentioned that the government’s lack of interest in taking action toward the problems we have, I decided to form the Street Art Protest movement. Using street art as a tools to speak with government and people is a really good way, rather than just protest on streets.

 

 

Reference:

Wicaksono 2013,’Street art: More than meets the eye’, The Jakarta Post, <http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/07/14/street-art-more-meets-eye.html&gt;.

By Yuk Yi Lam

I interviewed a few people that I met in Indonesia, the first one is a Indonesian student that i met in Salatiga and a farmer in Bumi Langit.

From my interview with Ilham Anggro Sakti, he is a student in Salatika. He mentioned that trash everywhere is a big issue in Salatiga and Indonesia, for example lot of trash are in the river or allover the street and It cause a bad smell. Also, some of the trash could be recycled, such as plastic bag and plastic bottle, but they didn’t. I’ve asked about why don’t every one or government to work on some recycling programs? Anggo told me that If anything cost money, government and people won’t do it. He also claimed that government actually do noting with the environment problems and millions of people in Indonesia suffered. For solution, Anggro thinks it’s hard to solve the problems, but maybe to educate young generation and people will be an effective way. For example, teach them not to throw rubbish everywhere or not to use plastic bag try to bring their own containers and bags. But he thinks that is really hard or impossible to solve the issues without government.

From the interview with Iskandar, he is the owner in Bumi Langit he thinks that nowadays people never identify what they eat, like is the food real organic? it is harm to human body?  the food that people brought from supermarket they never know where it come from, the seller never explain in a clear way. Also, farmer applying chemical pesticides damaged the land and soil. He claimed that in 1970s, when government have the knowledge of using chemical pesticides, government educate the farmer to use it. besides of soil damage and harm to human body, pesticides also make their life become more expensive because every time they wanted to plan something, they have to buy pesticides and the price is getting higher. For solution, he said that we can’t force people to eat organic food or do what they want, the only things that we can do to is try to show them or inspire them.  He mentioned that their local wisdom is ‘You have to learn and do it’, he hopes people not only buying organic food, people should also try and plant by themselves.

From the interviews, I found that there are many issues here that could not be solved and the only solution is to educate people the change their discipline. But I also feel a bit sad after I interview them because what i heard from them is seems like it’s a bit hopeless to solve the issue, like they know there are some problems here, but no one cares and people are not aware with the environment issue.

By Yuk Yi Lam

Agriculture in all over the world has currently faces major environmental challenges. Applications of fertilisers and pesticides in farming and China are among the highest in the world. Overuse of chemical pesticides damaged the soil and land cause a lot of environmental problems, such as soil erosion, soil pollution and harm to human body. Pesticides harm to human and environment, but why many farmers in the world are still using it? Pesticides gave farmer a more convenience way to plan and they can mass produce it. Also, the fact is farmers have not always benefited from adoption of sustainable practice. Not only in China have an issue of low environmental awareness, the solution to improve the environment issues is to educate the young generation and farmers.

In Yogyakarta Indonesia, I visited a real organic farm ‘Bumi Langit’, their main ideas is not using any chemical pesticides. Bumi Langit’s owner jj claimed that they follows a permaculture model which also call permanent agriculture. The science system developed by Bill Mollison in Australia. Encouraging and allowing the communities to live sustainably, while at the same time preserving natural ecosystems, as Joyce(2016) mentioned that “Permaculture is designed to work with nature rather than against it, unlike many modern-day agricultural techniques.” Besides, he also conducting educational programs for local student and universities to demonstrate the issues and teaches them how to minimise the impacts on the Earth by permaculture. Bumi Langit also run as a restaurant everyday from morning till 3:00pm, to let visiter to try their organic products and they bring food in to the organic market in Yogyakarta on every friday. From my visit to Bumi Langit, a farmer told me that they only glow food for what they need and not mass produce. He claimed that people usually produce more than what they need and it’s unsustainable, he give an example like they glow 5 papayas, there family only need 2of it, then they will left 3 on the trees and the bird will come an eat it or leave it till it drops and it will become the compose and seed. The example shows that  Bumi Langit mimics nature’s way of recycling all organic waste is returned back into a functioning system. They also used dry plants such as cucumber to reuse as a shampoo, he said it’s more nature and no chemical in it.

 

It’s another example of using leftover to made a cleanser in Hong Kong, by using fruit leftover to make it and it’s eco friendly and surprisingly easy to make.

 

Bumi Langit is not run by government and they produce what they need, even electricity and food. The second design solution doesn’t cost any money, everyone can do it at home and it’s easy. The important thing is everyone should pay more attention to the issue and take a little bit patient to try to live in a eco ways to help the environment.

 

Reference:

Joyce, T 2010, ‘Permaculture in Java, Indonesia’, Jalan Prawirotaman IV No. 127B, Yogyakarta Organic market, <http://www.gonomad.com/5408-indonesia-thriving-permaculture-in-yogya> .

2014, ‘Green and Thrifty, with Notes of Fruit’, Hong Kong Chinese University,<http://www.iso.cuhk.edu.hk/english/publications/sustainable-campus/article.aspx?articleid=58626&gt;.

Yuk Yi Lam (Kelly)

Under the rapid changes in technology, technology provided designers a more convenient working method and tools, for example in the areas of print design, printers help to mass produce for poster, book and magazine. But what if there is no printer, how to mass produce and photo copy? Though the indonesia program, gave me many ideas on creating a design without relaying on any technological equipment.

Print Design

1 Wood Block

This is an activities of wood block printing workshops, using knife to cut out the patterns that u create and put on inks stamp on the T-shirt. The wood block can reuse for many time, so the use of the wood block is just like the function of a printer.

These are some examples of woodblock art, like poster, tote bag and wood blocks.

It was a really clever technic, people doesn’t have to relay on any equipment, But of course they all need a really professional skill on doing it.

 

2 Batik

Batik is an Indonesian Traditional art, people usually made it to scarf or wear it like dress and cloths. The traditional colour of batik were made from natural ingredients, the oldest colour was blue and they all paint with wax and colour with inks for many times.

For Modern batik, many fashion designers put the world fashion scene into batik design such as Iwan Tirta, the art pieces promote the traditional indonesian art in a fashion modern way. Moreover, most of the batik that got from the market was print batik, people start to mass produce it in the market because need a lot of afford and patient to made a batik the process takes a really long time and this is the reason why handmade batik is expensive and the production is very limited now.

The best think that I like about Batik is every pieces are unique, all paint by hand and thats what makes batik expensive and precious. Also, Batik is the textile of Java and it’s one of the representation art pice of Java Indonesia, just like the aboriginal painting of Australia.

 

 

 

Reference:

‘Batik, the Traditional Fabric of Indonesia’,  Living in Indonesia, viewed 23th March 2016, <http://www.expat.or.id/info/batik.html>.

 

 

XIUYI YANG( adela)

After the fall of suharto dictatorship in 1998, Indonesia’s politics and society and don’t have much to improve. The gap between rich and poor is becoming more and more serious, no public facilities maintenance and update, developmental delay. Hospitals, schools are lack of efficiency that leading to complaints from people. And wealthy people still enjoy their privileges, defying the lives of ordinary people. The increasingly serious class difference, let the rich to do everything, while the poor get nothing, they have no way out, a lot of street children in Jakarta, couldn’t find a home to return to. ISIS in a place like this can easily find root soil. Is that Indonesia, however, are run amok in the punk music, swept across the country. Whether children or adults, on the music form of the once popular in Europe and the United States is full of love and infatuation. Punk music was rapid warming in Indonesia. Depressed for a long time in the heart of social discontent, and there is no place to vent, the punk music to become their best exports. Among them, the orchestra MARJINAL is caught people this kind of mentality, and quickly. In Indonesia, there is no one I do not know their name. Due to the revolution by means of violence, always bring public disquiet and drama, so the two of them decided to “revolution” is absolutely not interacting with violence, but promote the people wake up, with the practical action to promote social change. Which was the main source of power is to music. As a result, both with music and the evocative lyrics to move people. In the streets of Jakarta, the gamin in the street or bus on the boat, while playing a musical instrument sing MARJINAL song, to obtain spiritual satisfaction. Caused heavy losses in 2004 after the tsunami, MARJINAL is also in the first line, to send relief supplies to affected areas. Java volcanic eruption in 2010, they walked in the mall and sing for the disaster area donation. Caused by the tsunami, killing hundreds of thousand aceh states, in particular, almost paralysis. MARJINAL for victims created azraell song “we wound”, hope survivors “together side by side, hand in hand to cooperate, as to accept other people’s pain as his pain”. Has continued the spirit, continuous terrorist attacks in Bali after the accident, and rang with its melodies. MARJINAL do in Indonesia, to many people in the world were struck a chord, punk fans overseas were attracted to them, support their career, think they represent the true punk spirit. Unlike some place, just as the punk fashion label. The Indonesian authorities for punk band influence among young people is more and more big, also can’t sit. Aceh states a punk rock concert to clamp down on by the police, they make raids, and restrain “clothes” on the young people, in order to “spiritual purification, shave off their no dry hair, and even include girls.

 

Reference list

Art for the people – Inside Indonesia 2016, Inside Indonesia. viewed 10 April 2016, <http://www.insideindonesia.org/art-for-the-people&gt>

Baulch. E. 2007.Making scences: reggae, punk, and death metal in 1990s Bali, Durtham: Duke University Press

Debies. C & Jeffrey. S, 2014, Punk rock and the polotics of place: building a better tomorrow, New York, NY: Routledge

 

Teras Mitra was one of the stalls selling hand made goods at the Mata Air Festival 2016, whilst there I spoke with Pitria about what Teras Mirta stands for. Teras Mitra acts a platform to launch many different local entrepreneur’s businesses, ranging from handicraft, design, food and Knowledge Management. Teras Mitra is very selective about who they aid, all the brands working with them must have a cause behind them. For example Lawe, a weaving business started by 5 women, Adinidyah, Westiani Agustin, Ita Natalia, Paramita Iswari and Rina Anita in Yogakarta in 2004. Lawe was founded as way to keep traditional weaving techniques alive, and today there are 50 weavers working in Yogakarta. The founders of Lawe wanted to keep this traditional handmade product relevant so they have many different designs, originally the woven fabric was used for clothing or in a traditional ceremony, now it is being used to make bags, wallets, home décor, accerories and stationary. The traditional colours used in this style of weaving are black and browns, however Laew has updated this style by using a variety of colours which appeal to a younger audience, which will keep the next generation interested in this traditional handicraft. Terasmitra supports Lawe because Lawe is about conserving tradition, empowering women and using environmentaly friendly resources, they are currently working with ecological natural dyes.

However many great organisations such as Lawe often struggle to make ends meet, especially when their Global Environment Facility (GEF) funding runs out which is usually after 2 years, this is where Terasmitra steps in and is able to help these organisations sustain themselves through design, production and marketing. Terasmitra sells products from many other organisations like Lawe, they help communities market their products, and when people buy them they are helping uphold that values of each organisation, indirectly, consumers who purchase the product in Terasmitra can help partners build a better environment.

References

• Interview with Pitria at Mata Air festival 2016
• http://www.terasmitra.com
• http://www.houseoflawe.com

Sources used in title image clockwise; photo by author, http://www.houseoflawe.com, http://garudamagazine.com, http://www.houseoflawe.com, http://www.terasmitra.com and http://garudamagazine.com

XIUYI YANG(ADELA)

https://www.greengrants.org/2015/12/02/10-environmental-wins-2015/

According to “Asia Times” reported that the World Bank and IMF (International Monetary Fund) to pressure to Indonesia, but accelerate the privatization of state-owned enterprises, increase to attract more foreign investment, and it can recover from the financial storm. Indonesia in accordance with the two big international institutions “prescription”, take the lead to low efficiency of water service, market-oriented reform. However after water conservancy to the private enterprises operating in Jakarta in 1997, surprising prices will continue increase that the poor can’t afford to use water more and more.

https://www.popularresistance.org/water-justice-movement-tackles-life-after-privatization/

Jakarta’s privatization scheme of water supply is a former President Suharto of administration. Britain’s “Thames water group” “Suez of France and two foreign water company has monopoly Jakarta water service for 10 years, they did not reduce the water crisis, only makes it worse. The two companies have also sold their shares in the water supply company in Indonesia. As early as 1994, the world bank warned that given the water speed is far behind the pace of pumping speed of the aquifers, groundwater in Jakarta will be difficult to meet the demand of industrial and domestic long-term water in Jakarta. In recent years, the rapid development of real estate industry has occupied a large number of green spaces in Jakarta, many in the water basin of paddy fields, lakes and natural habitats have been destroyed. Covers an area of 661 square kilometers of Jakarta, located in west Java province along the northern coast of alluvial lowland, and at least 13 rivers, over 2000 millimeters of annual rainfall, 78 flood threat. Unfortunately, due to the lack of direct rainfall of crevices or city to stay on the surface, the precipitation is not meet with groundwater. In the face of failure water privatization reform, government officials are thinking way to mend. The government has asked the industry recycling water for industry and commerce, in order to improve water use efficiency.

Indonesia’s national charter says that belong to the state of water resources, for the people. But in 1999, the world bank provided a huge rescue loan to Indonesia, including a regulation legislation in Jakarta to speed up the water supply industry privatization of a $300 million loan, the claim that water for the people all of the charter. In 2004, Indonesia announced the implementation of the water act.

 

 

 

 

Reference list:

Bakker, K, 2003, Archipelagos and networks: urbanization and water privatization in the South, The Geographical Joural, Wiley Online Library

Meera. K. 2013, Water Justice Movement Tackles Life After Privatization, viewed on 11 April,<https://www.popularresistance.org/water-justice-movement-tackles-life-after-privatization/&gt;

Papargyropoulou, E & Colenbrander, S & Sudmant, A & Gouldson, A & Tin, L, 2015, The economic case for low carbon waste management in rapidly growing cities in the developing world: The case of Palembang, Indonesia, Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 163, pp.11-19

Spulber, N, 1998, Econoics of water resources: from regulation to privatization, Boston: Kluwer Academic

Wibowo, A. 2010, Risk criticality and allocation in privatized water supply projects in Indonesia, International Joural of Project Management, pp.504-513

 

Throughout the world, design practices are influenced by a variety of factors, including local context. As local context varies across regions, cities and countries, different design practices can be observed as individuals adapt to their personal environments. These design practices can develop varying design outcomes, which can be observed when comparing design practices in areas of Indonesia, to cities in Australia.

Undertaking the subject Interdisciplinary lab B in Indonesia provided a variety of insights into the influence of local context on design. Personal interaction with designers and artists reveled the varying nature of material availability and resources according to personal income. In Yogyakarta, the mimimum wage is 1,108,249Rp (Approx. $112Au) per month (WageIndicator Foundation 2016). Low-income levels in parts of Indonesia and the influence of tradition, therefore, contribute towards an alternative mindset within everyday design, which can differ from Western societies.

One example is the prevalence of traditional handicrafts across areas of Indonesia. Woven bamboo baskets, for example, are still made and used in local villages from readily available materials. Traditional designs such as the woven basket play an important role in the function of everyday objects, using design methods past down through generations (Nabila 2013). The construction of woven bamboo baskets, along with other Indonesian handicrafts such as batik, requires skilled craftsmanship in order to produce a design. In turn, the inexpensive cost of materials, low minimum wage and availability of craftsmen mean items such as the bamboo basket can be cheap to produce and sell. In contrast, the affordability of offshore manufacturing has contributed to the availability of cheaper mass produced products in Australia. In this sense, a hand made product in Australia would be more expensive than a mass-produced item, as the nature of craftsmanship and time adds value to product.

Further, as the world becomes increasingly globalised, traditional handicrafts may become less valued as countries develop. In 2014, for example, 10 billion plastic bags were used annually in Indonesia (Schonhardt 2016), due to their mass availability. Unlike traditional carrying methods such as bamboo baskets, plastic bags cannot actively breakdown in the environment and return to the earth once disposed (Rujnic-Sokele & Baric 2014). Woven bamboo baskets are still an environmentally sustainable carrying option; yet the increasing globalisation of Indonesia may in future years, render them obsolete. The continued education and use of traditional design, therefore, is critical for the preservation of cultural heritage and traditions, and in the case of the bamboo basket, ensuring a decreased environmental impact.

 

 

References

Rujnic-Sokele, M. & Baric, G. 2014, ‘LIFE CYCLE OF POLYETHYLENE BAG’, Annals of the Faculty of Engineering Hunedoara, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 41-8.

Nabila, A. 2013, ‪Exploring Craftsmanship: Bamboo Weaving, videorecording, Youtube, viewed 9 April 2016, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVlLvNRXxIs&ebc=ANyPxKryUnocUOkZpuPxKezn5bHJ_tlv5AOcJAkD3so3XBEUgz8rVJVp0GIhsToAGXfaWaaTq28cpqfsgjwvM5friYgs4QOLBw&gt;.

Schonhardt, S. 2016, ‘Indonesia’s Solution for Pollution Is in the Bag; Southeast Asian nation is second-largest source of plastic trash in world’s oceans’, Wall Street Journal (Online), Feb 23, 2016, pp. n/a .

WageIndicator Foundation 2016, Minimum Wages in Indonesia with effect from 01-01-2016 to 31-12-2016, viewed 10 April 2016, <http://www.wageindicator.org/main/salary/minimum-wage/indonesia&gt;.

Images used in this blog post were taken by the author.