TAMAN ISMAIL MARZUKI

Taman Ismail Marzuki is Jakarta's showcase in cultural performances. As it is well known Java island including west Java which is called Sunda had strongly influenced by the Hindu tradition in the past. The Hndu tradition, especially initiated by the palaces, were various entertainments developed from local existing dance, drama, and musics with theme of Hindu tradition from India. Ancient Hindu writers in the past also choreographed local theme into the theme of a performances. That is why today both in Jaka and Bali we can watch a drama of wayang puppet shows with a theme both taken from India epic of Ramayana or Mahabharata or local kings in Java or Bali. The artists both in Java and Bali seen to have been free in expressing their emotion and as an art improvisations, taking many events to be included in the chain of their playing. Although it is a traditional performance a modern and actual issues is often appointed into their theme, also it is not into the main theme, or as just for satires Taman Ismail Marzuki organizes almost every night performances from Balinese dances, poetry readings or declamations, traditional musics or gamelan and modern film festivals. The building is located at Jalan Cikini Raya, phone 021 315 4067. Normally their programs are published by the Jakarta Post daily news. Although some groups or small number of people do not like art and consider art is taboo, but the heart of Indonesian people, especially Java could not be avoided form their very basic feeling of life that art can not be separated with all aspect of life which is proved by technologically advanced countries that art has beeen playing a great role in making their creation win over all their competitors. A small number of people do not like art by blaming that art would make the people open to the free sex and other relational affairs is not based on real fact, and if we see the life of such people even they worse in their field of porn, only they try to hide behind some doctrine. As long as history reveals life without art is barren, and make the nature drainaged out of fertilizer and become barren like the sanvannah.