PRESS RELEASE

Java Banana Bromo Gallery Menggelar Pameran Foto “Bromo: Land Of The Fire God” Selama Tiga Bulan

Jakarta, 10 November 2008

Java Banana Bromo Gallery selama tiga bulan ke depan akan menggelar pameran foto tentang Bromo, terutama yang menyangkut tentang manusianya, lansekap, dan kebudayaan setempat. Tema yang hendak dibawa dalam pameran ini adalah ‘Bromo: Land of the Fire God. Bromo adalah sebuah gunung yang termashyur akan keindahan pemandangannya di wilayah Jawa Timur.

Pameran akan berlangsung sejak tanggal 15 November 2008 hingga 15 Februari 2009 dengan mengambil tempat di Java Banana Bromo Gallery, sebuah galeri yang berada dalam hotel ramah lingkungan di daerah Sukapura, Wonotoro-Bromo, Probolinggo, Jawa Timur.

Pameran fotografi ini akan diikuti oleh 25 orang fotografer Indonesia dan Internasional dengan reputasi yang dikenal luas di mancanegara. Fotografer yang akan memamerkan karyanya di antaranya adalah: John Stanmeyer, Sigit Pramono, Darwis Triadi, Oscar Motuloh, Lans Brahmantyo, Martin Westlake, Dieter Behrens, Agus Leonardus, dll. Pameran foto ini juga akan dikemas dalam sebuah buku katalog eksklusif yang diterbitkan oleh Red&White Publishing.

Penyelenggaraan kegiatan ini adalah untuk menggairahkan dunia fotografi di Indonesia, di samping juga untuk menggalakkan industri ecotourism di wilayah Taman Nasional Bromo–Tengger–Semeru, Jawa Timur.

Jalur wisata Bromo bersama dengan wilayah lain seperti Borobudur dan Bali (yang banyak dikenal dengan Jalur Wisata 3), sempat mengalami kemunduran paska tragedi Bom Bali pada tahun 2002 dan 2005. Dua wilayah, yaitu Borobudur dan Bali kini sudah mengalami pemulihan, namun untuk wilayah Bromo sendiri masih agak tersendat, apalagi ketika mulai ada luapan Lumpur di wilayah Sidoarjo sejak September 2006.

Untuk mengangkat kembali minat para wisatawan serta memperkenalkan wajah baru Bromo, pameran foto ini digelar, dengan prakarsa dari Sigit Pramono, seorang bankir yang juga fotografer lansekap, yang telah menelurkan tiga buah buku karya fotografinya.

Untuk sampai ke wilayah Bromo dari sisi timur bisa dicapai lewat jalan darat dari arah Surabaya melewati wilayah Probolinggo sekitar tiga jam atau melewati kota Malang untuk mencapai sisi Barat Gunung Bromo dengan jarak tempuh sekitar 2–3 jam.

Informasi lebih lanjut hubungi : Ica 081932115688, ica@java-banana.com / asli_kutubuku@yahoo.com

FOREWORD

Sigit Pramono

Bromo is probably the most famous Indonesian mountain known in the world over next to Krakatau. The difference being Krakatau is legendary for its massive eruption recorded in history, whereas Bromo is recognized more for its beautiful panoramic sunrise. Bromo could easily be the most beautiful place on earth where mankind can witness the rays of the sun from all directions.

For me personally, Bromo has a strong emotional attachment, as it is the place I frequent to take pictures compared to anywhere else in the world. Bromo is very mystical, grand and, at the same time, fascinating. No matter how often I visit Bromo, I always find something different each time—a distinct image. The same goes for all the many visitors that came and went to Bromo, both tourists and photographers alike, they always bring back home with them a recording of different memories.

To celebrate the greatness of Bromo, I decided to invite both local and foreign photographers for a joint exhibition with the theme ‘Bromo: Land of The Fire God,’ a photographic exhibition about Bromo’s natural environment and its people from a variety of angles and perspectives. Once again, this is so that Bromo will not only be recognized for the panoramic sunrise at its slope, and, so that more people will come to visit Bromo.

Our thanks and deepest appreciation to all our photographer colleagues who have participated in this joint exhibition.

LAND OF THE FIRE GOD

Oscar Motuloh

From the peak of Mount Pananjakan (2,770m), rays of sun slowly lit up the surface of a magical theatre displayed before our very eyes. In the background stood the highest peak in Java, the Mahameru (3,676m), strongly protecting other mountains such as Bromo, Kursi, Batok, Watangan, Widodaren, Jantur, Ayer-Ayer, Jembangan and Kepolo. Sit back on the sea of sands on vast caldera of the ancient Tengger covering 5,250 hectares meshing those graceful mountains together.

The stage and symphony of Tengger’s extraordinary vista paradiso are in fact a form of beauty filled with riddles. Even the existence of this Land of the Fire God is a history of silence which conceals legends, folk stories, as well as the mystery whether the existence of the Tenggerese will continue in the future. It is as though the answers are stored away neatly in the thick fog which always cover the foothills in the rainy season. The term Tengger was believed to be formed from the combination of the names of Tengger’s beloved leaders, Rara Anteng, daughter of King Brawijaya, and Joko Seger, son of Kediri priest. The lovers became a symbol of struggle and existence of the Tenggerese.

Their ancient vista paradiso resonantly brought us to the wisdom of nature and local culture enable us to stop and think for a moment from the spirit of modernization which often neglects the touch of nature and its inherent philosophy of mankind… long before Al Gore reminded our modern, hitech
world for the preservation of our only planet Earth. At this stage, this exhibition of 25 photographers coming from different disciplines and professions presents visual messages in celebration of the Tenggerese people, culture, environment and existence.

At the moment the mighty sun dimmed its glowing ray of lights, as the day creeps into evening, the scenery and the symphony of the Tenggerese culture continue its existence until who knows when. In the spirit of conserving the nature of Bromo and the home of the Tenggerese, Sigit Pramono and Guntur Santoso initiated an exhibition as a medium that relays voice of nature and dedicates it as a birthday present for the continuation of the Tenggerese lives in their homeland.

BROMO & JAVA MAN

Guntur Santoso

Much has been mentioned about Bromo—a mystical mountain that must have been around since the emergence of Java Man who roamed the vast plains of Java in the past one and a half million years ago.

Java Man, as we all learned, was a species of Homo Erectus, one of the first great apes who stood erect on his two feet, and eventually evolved into modern man of today, like ourselves.

Whenever I think of Bromo, I would think of how ancient this mysterious mountain is, since this is the same mountain that has seen the footsteps of my ape-like ancestors.

I would imagine that millions of years ago, Java Man, as well as his modernman descendants thousands of years after, must have stood in awe—perhaps for different reasons, when they met Bromo for the first time.

Millions of years have passed, and we must admit that we still stood in awe when we encountered Bromo for the first time, or for many more times afterwards.

When I was asked to write something on Bromo for a photo exhibition by a group of famous photographers of Indonesia, I would imagine the same feeling of awe that struck all photographers who took great effort to present Bromo at its best and its grandeur.

Further contemplation on this issue brings me a feeling of gratefulness, for these photographers have taken great care on presenting Bromo, the mystical mountain older than my ape-like ancestors.

I feel blessed and grateful that there would be ample evidence on Bromo through the photographers’ viewpoints of its beauty, its people and its environment. These photo prints will no doubt be a great legacy for our descendants, a legacy that Java Man himself would be very proud of.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

AGUS LEONARDUS
Agus is a professional photographer since 1977. Involved in Fotomedia and Tempo magazines during the 90s, he now lectures photography and provides commercial services to hotels, and produces company profiles, calendars, books and postcards. He had a couple of solo exhibitions ‘Kata Hati’ and ‘Waton Urip,’ and produced a small book in collaboration with Nokia, titled ‘Djogdjakarta.’

ARBAIN RAMBEY
Arbain, 43, has mounted several photographic exhibitions. Among them are the solo exhibitions entitled ‘Expression’ in Medan (2002) and ‘The Mandailing Culture’ (2002). In 2004, he mountedan exhibition in Jakarta entitled ‘Quietness.’ He has participated also in ‘Crossing Bridges’ in Singapore (2004) and ‘Indonesian Women’ in Melbourne (2005). In 2005, his book entitled ‘The Mists of Time’ was published by Scotia Waterous.

BUDI DARMAWAN
Budi, 60, has exhibited his works internationally in Beijing, Singapore, North Korea, Taiwan, Melbourne, Kunming and Shanghai. Winner of various international salon photos, Budi is a commercial offset printer by profession and still actively involved in several salon photo associations and federations in Indonesia.

DARWIS TRIADI
Darwis, 54, took up photography since 1979 and has won Gold Award from Matsushita in 1982. His works were also chosen for Hasselblad International Annual Show in Fotokina Cologne, Germany. A well-known commercial photographer, most notably for fashion and corporate, he has appeared in numerous photography workshops and seminars internationally and founded Darwis Triadi School of Photography in 2001 and has published several photography books such as ‘Kembang Setaman,’ ‘Secret Lighting,’ and ‘Terra Incognita Tropicale,’ published by R&W Publishing in 2007, as well as a photography magazine titled ‘Indonesian Photographer.’

DENIEK SUKARYA
Photography has been Deniek’s chosen creative medium to express his artistic vision for more than 37 years. As a Balinese, Deniek has been documenting the life of the land, people and culture of his birth place with great intimacy. He has written articles for many publications covering a wide range of topics—travel, culture, nature, environment and ‘how-to’ articles on various aspects of photography. Deniek has also published ‘Enchanted Moments’ (1999), ‘Ordinary People’ (2000), ‘Indonesia–Harmony in Diversity’ (2006), ‘The Poetry of Nature’ (2007) and ‘Indonesia Menanam–A Gift To The World’ (2007). He has held seven solo exhibitions in Jakarta, two in Osaka, Japan, and one in the National Gallery of Harare, Zimbabwe.

DIBYO GAHARI
Dibyo is a Bandung-based architect. An honorary lecturer at ITB, he is mainly interested in internet, computers and books. Gold winner at the Salonfoto Indonesia 2006 and chairman of the Bandung Amateur Photographers Association 2006–2007, he further founded myinfrared.com to channel his passion in digital infrared photography.

DIETER BEHRENS
Dieter, 62, is a self-taught German photographer who has lived for 26 years in Indonesia. A member of Jakarta Photo Club, Malang Photo Club, Nusantara Photo Club, PAF Bandung and Photo Club Ruedesheim, he has earned awards at Salon Foto Indonesia and Ehren-Loge Deutscher Amateur Fotografer, exhibited in Germany and juried several national and international salon photo competitions since he started photographing in 1985.

EDDY HASBY
Eddy, 42, started to work in journalism in 1989 and joined the Kompas daily as a photographer. He won the Grand Prix award for ACCU (UNESCO) World Photo Contest 1995 and was profiled in ‘Asia Who’s and Who’ by NHK Japan Television. Named the best photographer in the 1992 National Journalistic Photography Contest, Eddy has participated in joint exhibitions with the Association of Amateur Photo Artists (HISFA), World Press Photo 1992; solo exhibitions entitled ‘East Timor and Indonesian Children’ in Japan, ‘Sugarcane Blues’ in Jakarta and Bali. He also has contributed to the books ‘Arung Samudra’ (1995) and ‘Komando–Mengabdi untuk Negara dan Bangsa’ (1997), ‘Mata Hati: Kompas 1965–2007’ and ‘The Long and Winding Road’ (2002).

EDWARD TIGOR SIAHAAN
Tigor, 44, was a self-taught photographer before commencing studies in 1993 at the Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London. He began his professional career with SWA magazine in Jakarta and World Excecutive Digest in the Philippines where he was able to produce numerous photos that emphasized human elements—reflecting his belief that a photograph has more spirit when it features a person. In 1998, his photographic works were selected for inclusion in The Art Director’s Index to Photographers published in Britain. In addition to his work in commercial photography, he also contributes time to teach photography at the London School of Public Relations.

EDY PURNOMO
Edy, 40, embraced photojournalism in 1998 as a stringer at Agence France Presse (AFP). In 2001–2003, he joined Getty Images News Service to cover Indonesia and Timor Leste. Currently at JiwaFoto agency on assignment for Time Asia, Asian Wall Street Journal, Marie France, Bloomberg News among other publications. Once a photo editor for Djakarta Magazine, Edy received an award for his book project titled ‘Dawn of the 21st Century’ and has been active in giving school lectures in photojournalism. In 2004, he co-founded Rana Foundation with the vision to escalate young photojournalists
in Indonesia.

GOENADI HARJANTO
Goenadi, 62, is an architect who has photographed since the age of 11 and turned into commercial photography as profession in 2002. He has won photography awards internationally, juried nternational photography competitions, represented Indonesia as speakers in international forums, lectured photography in colleges and workshops, and written various articles in print medias. Goenadi was the consultant for Garuda Indonesia International Photo Competition 2007 and 2008.

JOHN STANMEYER
American photographer, John Stanmeyer, 43, is a founding member of VII photo agency and a contract photographer with Time Magazine since 1998, and works regularly on assignment with National Geographic magazine. Used to live in Bali for several years, he has spent more than 10 years focusing on Asian issues. For seven years, he has been working on a book about the AIDS epidemic throughout Asia, as well as continuing his photographic documentation on the radical changes in Indonesia since 1997. He has been the recipient of numerous honors, including the Robert Capa, Magazine Photographer of the Year, as well as World Press and Picture of the Year awards. His upcoming book on Balinese Spirituality will be published by R&W Publishing
in 2009.

LANS BRAHMANTYO
Brahm, 42, is an electrical engineer/information systems manager by education; a visual designer and book publisher by profession; and a consummate traveler and a self-taught photographer by passion. He has been mainly interested in people, architecture, travel and photojournalistic photography since he started his own journey into the wonderful world of photography in 2002. Winner of the prestigious Prix de la Photographie Paris (Px3) 2006 and Grand Prix Asia Prize at the Photo City Sagamihara 2008 in Tokyo for his ‘Soul Odyssey’ series and featured in Leica Fotografie International (LFI) magazine, Brahm also collects art, design, photography and antique books. ‘Soul Odyssey’ was published by R&W Publishing in 2005.

MARTIN WESTLAKE
British Photographer Martin Westlake, 47, has worked on commercial and editorial assignments throughout Indonesia and South East Asia. His images have appeared in Travel+Leisure, Conde Nast Traveller, National Geographic Adventure and Sunday Times Travel magazine. Martin has frequently exhibited his fine art photographs in Indonesia and the UK. Part of his bali portrait series shot after the Bali bomb attack in 2002 are on permanent display in the Standard Chartered Bank building, London. His interior photography will be featured in upcoming book of interior designer Yuni Jie by R&W Publishing in 2009.

OSCAR MOTULOH
Oscar Motuloh, 49, is the director and curator of the Antara Photojournalism Gallery and often judges photographic contests and curates various photographic exhibitions and events all over Indonesia. He has written for numerous photography books, such as ‘Photojournalism,’ ‘East Timor: A Photographic Record,’ ‘Guards of The Ocean,’ ‘The Marines,’ ‘Enchanted Moments,’ ‘Ordinary People’ and ‘Viewpoints.’ Oscar’s works have also been exhibited several times and he is now an active member of the Indonesian Photojournalists Guild. His upcoming photography book, titled ‘Soulscape Road,’ will soon be published by R&W Publishing in 2009.

ROMMY PERBAWA
Rommy, 37, an entrepreneur living in Surabaya, started photography in 2004 with an obsession to record and help spread the unexplored scenic beauty of Indonesia to the world through photography.

SANTOSO ALIMIN
Santoso, 72, has photographed since he was 16. In 1975, he entered Salon Foto activities and started his journey as a professional photographer. His interests are mainly in pictorial and landscape photography. Gold medalist at Siam Colour Slide International Salon Exhibition and gold medalist at PSA International Salon of Singapore, Santoso also has juried the Asian Salon in Singapore in 1983.

SIGIT PRAMONO
Sigit, 50, developed an interest in film and music at an early age. In high school, he received his first camera and his passion for photography was born. A banker with a career spanning over 20 years, his profession has taken him arround the globe and given him ample opportunities to pursue his passion. He has published three books with R&W Publishing, namely ‘Viewpoints,’ ‘Bisikan Alam,’ and ‘Bromo: The Majestic Mystical Mountain.’His works have been exhibited several times at the Four Seasons Jakarta and Dharmawangsa Hotel. A very versatile photographer with various camera formats, Sigit built Java Banana Bromo out of his passion for Bromo and its people. Professionally, Sigit is the Publisher of Jakarta Globe newspaper and Independent Commissioner at BCA.

STEPHANUS HANNIE
Stephanus, 37, is a Semarang-based photographer who has won several salon photo competitions nationally such as the Garuda in 2007, Bank NISP in 2008, XL in 2007; and internationally at Nikon International Photo Contest in 2007.

SUHERRY ARNO
As a photographer and printmaker, Suherry studied photo and conventional black-and-white darkroom techniques from Kayus Mulias, John Sexton, Allan Ross, Howard Bond etc. He also studied digital printing technique from Charles Cramer and Dan Burkholder, as well as from Michael and Paula Smith for contact printing on Azo Paper. As the director of De Arno Gallery and Arno Mulia School of Advanced Photography, Suherry prefers landscape and portraiture photography. He considered someone to be a ‘pure photographer’ if he does everything from capturing to printing himself.

TAN LIP SENG
Lip Seng, is an accomplished photographer recognized by world-respected societies, among them the Royal Photographer Society of Great Britain, which awarded him the Fenton Medal (1998) and the Photographic Society of America, which honored him with Diamond Galaxy Award (1996) and the Fellowship of the Society FPSA (1999). His works are collected permanently among others by The Singapore National Museum, International Kameraklub Bilderbank Collections and Camera Club Linz Austria. Over his 50-year experience, he remains as excited about his photography. In 2005, he was named the Photographer of the Year for the inaugural Ngee Ann Photographic Exhibition.

UCOK P. HARAHAP
Works professionally for a banking institution in Jakarta. Ucok, 37, captures mostly nature’s beauty, travel and fine-art-related subjects in his photography. Member of Canon Photo Club Indonesia, he and Komunitas Pameran 1000 Foto co-produced the largest-ever photography exhibition in Indonesia. Often teaching photography workshops and judging for various photography competitions, Ucok is actively involved in the largest photography website in Southeast Asia, Fotografer.net, as a Global Moderator. His works and writings are available at his private site, republikfoto.com.