From Utan Kayu to Salihara

KOMUNITAS UTAN KAYU, a cultural enclave on Jalan Utan Kayu 68H, East Jakarta, was established by several patrons of the Tempo magazine, approximately one year after the magazine had been closed down by the government in 1994. Some authors, intellectuals, artists, and journalists were also involved in its establishment. The community consists of Institute for the Studies on the Free Flow of Information (ISAI), Galeri Lontar, Teater Utan Kayu (TUK), Radio 68H News Agency, and Liberal Islam Network.

Three of them that work in the arts—Galeri Lontar, Teater Utan Kayu, and Cultural Journal Kalam (the journal was already established in early 1994, with the full support from the Tempo magazine)—endlessly try to nurture and disseminate artistic and intellectual riches, whether it is through art performances, art exhibitions, lectures and discussions about various topics, or through the articles published by Kalam.

GALERI LONTAR exhibits works by artists from within the country and abroad. Works exhibited are in the forms of drawings, paintings, graphic art works, photography, sculpture, or installation works—selected first and foremost due to their qualities and innovative spirits. The gallery has introduced artists who are now in the forefront of Indonesian art world.

TEATER UTAN KAYU regularly holds theatrical, music, and dance performances, film screenings, and lectures and discussions about culture, art, and philosophy. The theater provides as ample space as possible for artists coming from the traditional circles or for contemporary artists who want to experiment and offer innovations.

CULTURAL JOURNAL KALAM is a place to propagate and exchange ideas, across disciplines and across ideologies. The journal values new ways of viewing things, fresh ideas, and are open for various literary experiments. After having been published in twenty-two editions since 1994, from May 2007 on Kalam has been transformed and enters the virtual world on the website www.jurnalkalam.org. Kalam has also published several books.

Komunitas Utan Kayu is also used to holding international-scale events, which include Jakarta International Puppetry Festival (2006), Slingshort Film Festival (2006), and International Literary Biennale whose fourth occasion will take place in August 2007.

The artistic wing of Komunitas Utan Kayu, already around ten years old now, determines to continue and foster what it has achieved so far. To accommodate the expansion of its activities, its founders and managers then took the initiative to build Komunitas Salihara complex.

KOMUNITAS SALIHARA stands on a land of around 3,060 square meters on Jalan Salihara 16, Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta. It consists of three main buildings: Teater Salihara, Galeri Salihara, plus an office building and guesthouse.

TEATER SALIHARA can accommodate up to 252 people. This is the first black box theater building in Indonesia. Built with sound-proof walls, the theater is complete with dressing rooms and all the modern stage, sound, and lighting equipments. The rooftop of  Teater Salihara building is also designed to serve as an open-air theater.

GALERI SALIHARA, unlike other gallery structures in general, takes the form of a cylinder whose circumference is shaped rather like an oval. An empty space with circular walls, without angles, without borders, will provide a wider perspective for the viewers. A cozy food court with an open view is situated below the gallery, offering miscellaneous food and drink.

No less unique is the four-storied building housing offices, library, guesthouse, and bookstore. The uppermost floor partly protrudes and hovers over the rooftop of the theater building, while the lowermost floor partly vanishes into the ground.

In terms of its architecture, the complex of Komunitas Salihara can be viewed as an interesting architectural experiment. It is the work of three architects, each having his own tendency—the theater building is designed by Adi Purnomo, the gallery by Marco Kusumawijaya, and the office building by Isandra Mati-n Ahmad. The three of them then sat together to integrate their designs within the same vision: to build a new home for art and ideas, one that is environmentally friendly and spends less energy.

Komunitas Salihara will grow along with a smarter, more open, and more democratic public. Its managers believe that mastery in art serves as a precious investment for the growth of the nation’s children from this day on. The public plays a very important part in fostering such mastery.