FESTIVAL
EQUATOR

10 October – 2 November

Festival Equator serves as the support and companion for Biennale Jogja since it embarked upon a long journey of EQUATOR series. As a support, this festival aims at facilitating the dialog on science and the discourse widely disseminated to the common people not dealing with arts. In line with the main theme of Biennale Jogja this year, “STAGE OF HOPELESSNESS”, today’s Festival Equator took the theme “ORGANIZING CHAOS”. Working hand in hand with artists and communities, this festival is going to be held on 10-30 October 2017 to commence the serial events of Biennale Jogja.

The term “ORGANIZING CHAOS” refers mainly to the effort to raise the discourses on the polemics taking place in the history of today’s society. In such condition, the endeavors to bring about new awareness in the society were manifested through the series of events peculiarly happening at public spaces. Various events are encapsulated in a piece of implicit repertoire to recall the traumatic moments in the past by relating them to the context of Yogyakarta today.

While the previous Festival Equator was held in obvious manners in some far corners, this one seizes the stages covertly and sneaks through the hurly-burly of daily life. The artists and communities taking part in this Festival Equator strip off their attributes and identities. Thus, people have the freedom to define it on their own.

All events in this Festival Equator are arranged into three dramatic phases:

First Phase

The first event to stage on 10 October is Tapa Ngepit (On-Bike Meditation) Project. This project is organized by Erson Padapiran and friends. The participants ride through the arterial roads of Yogyakarta, like Benteng (the inner and outer circumference), some roads like Mataram, Kota Baru, Lempuyangan, Sagan, Demangan, Solo, Wirobrajan, Magelang, and Timoho. For a whole week, they ride bikes while sounding mythical voices since 3 a.m.

At the break of dawn, another activity kicks in. Roli “LoveHateLove” and Fajar Susanto a.k.a Fj Kunting begin the Myhtical Traffic Intervention and Aromatic Intervention projects. They sprinkle flowers and put offerings along the route of Tapa Ngepit Project and in some additional spots like Gondomanan Road, Abu Bakar Ali Road, Pojok Beteng Wetan, and Melia Hotel.

Meanwhile, in the project named Masa Depan Adalah Hari Ini#2 (The Future Is Today #2), Digie Sigit clears up some locations neglected by the responsible authorities. He runs this activity three times in a week at several spots, such as Cokroaminoto Road, Solo Road, Plengkung Gading, Tugu Station, Mbo Sastran, Tugu Jogja, SD Kanisius Tugu, and Beringharjo Market up to 30 October.

Kukomikan Community comes up with Pak Ogah Project, in which they manage the traffic while disguising themselves in the uniform of Yogyakarta Royal Soldier, Lombok Abang. They appear at a number of roads in Yogyakarta, like Sayidan, Patangpuluhan, Solo, Affandi, Kaliurang, Sarjito, Tugu, and Adisucipto in the morning, afternoon, and evening. This activity will be held three times within a week.

Dhomas “Kampret” Yudistira brings about an event called Rajah Kota (City Tattoo) Project. This project will be put into action at 9 p.m three times within a week at a number of locations and abandoned sites on the corners of Yogyakarta.

Second Phase

There are seven different events to present each day. On 17 October, Estehanget plays gamelan at 3 a.m. at Plengkung Gading, around the Yogyakarta Palace. This show is formatted such a way that it will not look like a spectacle.

In OteWe Project, on 18 October, Ismu Ismoyo, Trianto Kotrek, Dodo, Gatot Nugroho S., and Lembu work on some installations using recycled materials in response to and at several points: the eastern area of Giwangan Bus Station, between Mataram Road and Malioboro Road, the front/side of Transjogja bus stop at Bethesda Hospital, Lempuyangan, and Taman Budaya Yogyakarta.

On 19 October, an on-board Performance Art named Sketsa Publik (Public Sketch) Project is enacted by Asosiasi Olah Raga Sketsa (AORSI) inside TransJogja buses in the morning and afternoon. About 30 members of AORSI will split up to different bus stops on that day. On 23 October, AORSI will reenact the same project with the different personnels.

Canka Mahameru presents Wayang Beber (Beber Puppet) Play Project with the Story of Dhamarwulan under the twin banyan trees at the North Square. This 30-minute event is held at night, on 20 October, in a way that will not overtly draw public attention.

Third Phase

In the last week of Festival Equator, on 24-31 October, six events are set to enliven Yogyakarta at different locations. SD Tumbuh Yogyakarta presents Gamelan Bocah (Children’s Gamelan) show. This activity takes place at the alley of Beringharjo Market. The performance starts at 11 a.m., when the market is crowded with visitors and customers.

On 25 October, Fajar Susanto a.k.a Fj Kunting reappears to present an event around some rivers located in Yogyakarta, like Code, Winongo, Gajah Wong, Bedog, Progo, and Opak. Per-kali-an| Per kalian| Per-kali-an (River| You| Multiplication) performance art will be enacted five days in a row.

Budiyanto Trisno L “Yayas” closes the Festival Equator with Samare Semar Samar SamarProject, performed around railway station and open lands, like playground or rice field, passed through by trains. Yayas engineers an occurrence by presenting two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks in collaboration with the people inside and outside the train. (RR)