Video stills
Photo Archive
Photo archive
Video workshop
Video workshop// Photography Exhibition // Video Screening
August 28 – September 2, 2006
Video workshop, Rukun Warga (administrative unit at the next-to-lowest level in city) Nagan photography documentation collection of 17th August celebration exhibition, and video screening of a workshop’s project entitled Pura-Pura Ninja, which was held by Ruang MES 56 cooperated with Pena (Pemuda Nagan (Nagan youngsters) and FourColours Film in order to commemorate the Republic of Indonesia Independence. In addition, Shaggydog’s acoustic performance enlivened this event.
As historical fact, Indonesian Independence Proclamation on August 17, 1945 was surrounded by full of myths. The country has an important role in this case, especially in how the society sees and remembers that event. Every year the society welcomes and celebrates this event with various kinds of activities, such as holding many kinds of competitions, art performance show, and tirakatan (a night time event to express thanks to God by inviting neighbors to other neighbor’s house to pray and have some meals that have already been prepared together). Then, what is the role of photography in taking part in the society in order to remembering and celebrating this event?
Because of its existence in (common) society as a tool for taking pictures of events, which are considered as the momentous one and want to be always remembered, photography has an important role in every August 17 celebration committee in the middle of the society. In this case, it is in the small region level, which is Rukun Warga (administrative unit at the next-to-lowest level in city). A village or kampong participation in celebrating the Independence Day will be taken into notice if we see its documentation from every event or from the independence day ritual; we could see how the villagers, year after year, clean up and decorate their village or kampong, how the kids join in many kinds of competition happily and show their talent in dancing or singing in the art performance show and so on.
Besides inviting the people of Nagan Lor to celebrate the Independence Day in a nostalgic atmosphere, Ruang MES 56 as non-profit organization which is very concern in the world of photography, and as the new member of Nagan Lor, also held Independence Day photos exhibition and photo competition. Those were expected to tighten up the ties of friendship and act as a place for stimulating creativity and fostering the history importance awareness; that history is not always be such a big thing but can also be just a simple thing.
