The eighth edition of Art Summit Indonesia (ASI 8) has begun, bringing together arts professionals from across the country and beyond. Its goal is to promote Indonesian performing arts through performances, speeches from practitioners and exchange programmes.
This edition differs from previous ones, as it is split into two discrete parts. The first, running from 13 – 20 August, consists of workshops, residencies and talks from both national and international performing artists. Workshop leaders include Ugoran Prasad, Melati Suryodarmo, FX Widaryanto, Toshiki Okada, Chong Kee Yon, Michio Arimitsu, and Jonas Baes.
The second section takes place in October and showcases contemporary Indonesian performances. Dates and artists for the October showcases have yet to be announced.
Rather than localising in a single city, API 8 organisers have decided to split it across the country, with events in Makassar, Bandung, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Padang, Padang Panjang, Solo and Bali.
‘We found out that there are communities in these places that fit well with the themes that we believe are the most relevant themes in the performing arts world nowadays,’ said head of the API board Yudi Ahmad Tajudin.
Otto Sidharta, who sits on the board of curators, added that Indonesian arts are currently ‘leaning very much towards the West,’ and that this will be reflected in the programme.
API was last held in 2013, with the first edition taking place in 1995.