Korea-Indonesia: Building Relationship Through Research on Art and Culture

 

Korean Cultural Center Indonesia (KCCI) in cooperation with Korean Art Management Service (KAMS) organized  Next Expert Training (NEXT) by holding the event  “2014 Korea-Indonesia International Exchange Matching Supporting Global Labor Force Project”.  

 

The program was open publicly specially for the professionals whose expertizes in or working on  art and culture sectors. The participants who want to join the program has to pass selection process by submitting their application and having interview session in KCCI office in Jakarta. 

 

Finally, three participants were selected to take part on this program. They are Umi Lestari, Dian Ina Mahendra and Mitha Budhyarto. What make us proud of that the selected participants are all young and talented women. 

 

Umi Lestari is an editor and reporter at a web-based media about literature and its development in Indonesia. She also actively involved in some theater performances in Yogyakarta ( one of big city in Indonesia well known with its traditional culture and heritages ) as a lead actor.

 

Dian Ina Mahendra is a creative, independent professional with a solid background in International Relations. She has more than 9 years of experience in arts management, organizing event, copywriting, creative writing and media relations. Now, Dian is working  as a Gallery and Art Store Manager at Komunitas Salihara in Jakarta.

 

Mitha Budyarto is a Jakarta-based academic and independent curator. She is currating and creating catalogue essays for various arts exhibition in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Bandung. On her profile written that she is keen to expand her curatorial skills and research experiences especially in the area of contemporary Asian art practices.

 

The three selected participants then conducted their research project and participated in workshop in three different cities in Korea; Busan, Incheon and Paju on May 2014.

 

Related with this event, Kim So Jin, who works on NEXT program and a curator at KCCI said that “2014 Korea-Indonesia International Exchange Matching Supporting Global Labor Force Project” has very important goals.

 

It is said that the project was aimed at to introduce and explore Korean art and cultural management , to enhance the participants capability in the area of art and cultural management and planning, to expand international networking, building relationship and coorporation among experts in art and culture between Korea and Indonesia.

 

What Next and What to Contribute?

 

 

After conducting their research in Korea for almost two weeks, the three participants presented their respective research review and sharing their experiences about what they did, observed and what places they visited during their  stay in Korea, and what further action they will do in Indonesia to implement the knowledge they gained from their research in Korea.

 

Presentation and review was held in Multifunction Room, Korean Cultural Center Indonesia on Tuesday, June 17.  The audiences range from university students, media representatives and academics attentively listened the review presentation.

 

Umi Lestari presented her review on case study region festival Busan International Theater Festival (BIPAF).  Her research focus on art performance and festival management, from financial management, how to select the art group that will perform and publication.  What she learned from BIPAF inspired her to hold similar theater festival in Yogyakarta entitled “Shadow of the Past”. She said that the festival will involved theater and dance group from Indonesia and Korea. Umi plans to organize the festival on December 2014 or alternatively on May, 2015.

 

Dian Ina Mahendra who did her research on case study Muticultural Art Complex: Paju, Heyri Art Village plan to hold an art project called “The Secrets of the Farmers” at Jatisura Village, West Java Province. On this project, Dian will invite the farmers group from Heyri Art Village to exchange the secrets of their farming style and philosophy with the farmers at Jatisura Village. By her project, Dian wants to encourage the farmers and stimulate other people to engange in farming.

 

Last but not least, Mitha Budhyarto conducted her research on case study Incheon Art Platform and Revitalization Strategy at Chinatown area in Incheon.  As further action, Mitha plan to organize  Swap-Meet Project among academics and practitioner from Indonesia and Korea to do further and more comprehensive study on problems of revitalization and urban spaces in Jakarta, specifically at the Old Town area.

 

After visiting and doing their research in Korea, Umi, Dian as well as Mitha admitted their impression to see how Korean people engange and preserve their  interest in art and culture  as a part of their daily life and turn them into various festivals that attract many local and foreign tourists. The three participants also appreciate Korean government in supporting the implementation, promotion and the development of local art and culture festivals and exhibition.  

 

They hope what they learned from their research in Korea could also apply in Indonesia, and encourgae the local government to fully support any activities on art and culture sector conducted by local community. []