Read Books and Be #auuwsome: A Review on Big Bad Wolf Sale Jakarta 2017

I believe that access to books must be as easy as possible. Buying good books can be a challenge for people living in the third world country, including Indonesia. Most of the people might say that books are too expensive, or not really well distributed. Nevertheless, The Big Bad Wolf Sale Jakarta proves its worth as an oasis in the midst of our confusion for an access to worthy books.

I am so lucky to got a chance to visit the preview sale of Big Bad Wolf Sale yesterday as a blogger representation, so I can share my experience there in this space of mine. I was accompanied by several friends (because a ticket can be used for up to 2 people!) that happened to be book lovers squad. If you miss the preview sale, you can always sign up as a member of Big Bad Wolf so you can get a one VIP pass for the next year sale. Anyway, this year's sale is much bigger than last year, and there are extensive variants of new books for you to discover!

Life in Southern Jakarta: Seek-a-Seek Graphic Design Festival

It's been a month since I live far away from home (technically, it's just 37-ish kilometres from Tangerang, but think about the traffic jams and many other unexpected things in the road). It was hard at first, living a totally different lifestyle than my usual campus-home life, but I actually made this far!

Anyway, lots of things happened in a month during my life in the Southern Jakarta. From experiencing Uber for the very first time, ordering foods with Gojek (you should be surprised that I never use this super effective way to get food back in Tangerang), impromptu visits to some unexpected places, and many other things! One of the most interesting things was (and still) being a part of the biggest Graphic Design Festival in Indonesia held by Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace, the place where I'm curretly having my internship in: Seek-a-Seek!

Seek-a-Seek is a graphic design event that features around 70 graphic designers, from graphic houses to independent graphic designers in an amazing, breathtaking, exhibition. The exhibition itself covers up a lot of aspects in graphic design, from typography, editorial, print medias, branding, and also multimedia. Various workshops were also held for the first three days of the event. If you decide to linger around longer (like I did) you can enjoy some live performances. And oh, did I told you that you can purchase some goods at the art market?

I was in the documentation team when the exhibition's opening was on, so I would love to share some of the photos that I took. I was so surprised that a lot of people are very enthusiastic with this event about graphic design. I love on how graphic design is practically everywhere in our daily life. From, our favourite chocolate milk packaging, the giant billboard we saw everyday, the signages that took us to the toilet, until the little brochure that people gave us while we're having a walk.

I was here last two weeks ago with some of my friends, who were currently also on their internship in the other graphic houses in the Southern Jakarta. It was so exciting to meet a lot of new people and also expert graphic designers in this event. This place is a giant melting pot for us to interact and networking with each other within the same field in graphic design.

All of the participants in this festival came from the graphic design background. Those eye candies in the art market were made specially by graphic designers. Man, I could buy all of the products because they're just too beautiful and well-made!

It was a completely new experience for me to attend and be a part of this festive celebration of graphic design. This also pump me to be more and more passionate in my graphic design, which is what I'll be doing for the rest of my life! For those who missed it, don't worry! The exhibition is still open until the next Sunday! Feel free to come and visit the exhibition in Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace; open from 9 AM to 6 PM! 

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Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace

Jl. Kemang Selatan no. 99A

Jakarta Selatan

Featured Exhibitors:

Ampersand • Another Design Company • Artnivora • Ayang Cempaka • BD+A • Brownfox • Butawarna • Cecil Mariani • Design Lab • Detego • Digital Nativ • DM ID (WIR Group) • Each Other Company • Edo & Edo • Emir Hakim Design • Eva Winata • Feat Studio • Fresh Creative • Fullfill • Furyco • Gema Semesta • Graphichapter • Gumpita Rahayu • Halfnot • Hanny Kardinata • Idea Buzz Asia • Inkara Brand • Irfan Hendrian • Ismaya Design Lab • JED Creative • Jordan Marzuki • Kotasis • KYUB Design • LeBoYe • Majalah Tempo • MakkiMakki • Makna Creative • Maksimedia • Maria Putri • Mata Design • Mendiola Wiryawan • Monoponik • Noote Netoo • Nusae • Octo Design • Omnicreativora • Panji Krishna • Paperwork • Paprieka • PoLa Artistry • POT Branding • PTT Family • Ramanda Hadi • Ritchie Ned Hansel • Rubicube • Sanrok Studio • Studio Satu Collective • Sciencewerk • Sita Subijakto - Headline • Studio 1212 • Studio Kudos • Studio Minor • SUNVisual • Swargaloka • Table Six • Thinking Form • Thinking*Room • Tre Design • Vaith Design • Vincent & Nana • Visious Studio • Visual Cast • Wanara Studio • Way Kambas • WHIR • Whitespace

Events: FGD Expo & Popcon Asia 2015

Calling all graphic designers and pop culture enthusiasts! Last weekend my friend (Valerie and Jessica) and I went to Jakarta Convention Center to attend FGD Expo 2015 and Popcon 2015. It took approximately 1 and a half hour from Tangerang to Senayan (there's a massive traffic jam across the highway, but luckily my friend Val knew the alternative way to get there).

We went to FGD Expo first. We filled a form in order to enter the building and in return we got a nametag with a barcode on it so we can come back inside every time we came out without paying again. Pretty neat, huh? So, after we managed to do the above things, we finally got into the expo and basically, it was a really good expo. There are lots of printing booths and they mostly sell printer, papers, and other gizmos. I did learn about them in uni, but it was a nice moment to learn them much more in an event like that. A gold indigo printer? Amazing. An old pressing machine? So much more amazing.

We visited some interesting booths. First, we headed to ADGI booth and saw a lot of wonderful showcases such as books, posters, and packagings. They sold some pretty interesting merchandises too. For this booth, I laid my eyes upon a funny book titled: Desain Grafis, Deadline, Doa by . It's a prayer compilation that mostly about graphic designer's problem when it's time to face the clients. I just... Really want to shove that book hardly to some annoying clients so they can understand us... A bit more. Hehehe.

The next booth we went to is DGI, and this time they opened their first graphic design museum in Indonesia. They displayed some precious artworks made by some graphic design pioneers in Indonesia. And... We decided to take a picture in front of one of many displays and uploaded it in instagram, as a part of an instagram competition (we didn't win tho).

Introducing the crews: Valerie Wirjaatmadja - Claudia Novreica - Jessica Melita in front of the late Pak Yongky Safanayong.

Next, we headed to the Japan Foundation booth, where they displayed some works from ASPAC, a packaging competition which were held last year (I participated with my friend Reta, but didn't make it to the final, hehehe). Here are some snaps that Val took:

Introducing one of the Indonesia's top 10 chocolate packaging design by a fellow, Evan.

This one's by one of our crew today, Jessica! And her partner Gaby!

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After spending some times at FGD Expo, we decided to go ahead to Popcon 2015, which was located next two doors from FGD Expo. The entrance was epic, like a portal that lead us to the outer space and then we feel that we arrived to the planet that displayed A-Z related to the pop culture. The event itself was smaller than FGD Expo, but we still felt the hype and excitement came from every corner of the room. Here are some snaps that we took at the event:

An amazing booth by Fabula, an illustration agency. It displayed works from renowned Indonesian illustrators such as Diela Maharanie, Renata Owen, Resatio, Emte, and many more!

There are LOTS of Studio Ghibli fanarts dedicated to this amazing animation studio in Popcon 2015. This was one of them and it was sold as a sketchbook.

Look at this preciouses! I always loved genuine leather goods, especially handmade one. This is a booth from a leather brand from Yogyakarta (Yogya is leather heaven!) that sold sketchbooks, wallets, and bracelets. 

Finally had the chance to meet two of my favorite illustrators, Renata Owen and Elfandiary! I managed to purchase their artworks also. See my haul section below!

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Alright, it's time to show up my haul for Popcon 2015! A little bit "kalap" because of purchasing too much stuffs, but it's okay anyway. They are nice and I loved it so much!

Some artbooks that I purchased: A Studio Ghibli fanart by Loco Creative, Elfandiary's artbook, and artbook by David Adhinarya Lojaya and Stephen Putra. 

                     

A closer look to Studio Ghibli's Art Tribute by Loco Creative, featuring my favorite two.

A closer look to Elfandiary's artbook. I love on how he interpreted some famous animes and gave it his own touch. Beautiful.

A closer look for Stephen Putra and David Lojaya's artbook.

Bought this Renata Owen's sketchbook. I really love on how she use Indonesia's culture and art in most of her artworks.

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Well, that was a quite long post, huh? I hope you enjoy reading this just like I enjoy writing it. Until next time, and maybe next events? Hehehe. See ya!

An Impromptu Walk

26.02.2015

I had ethics mid term test that day and somehow the class ended way earlier that I ever guessed (the class started at 7 AM and ended an hour later). I decided to do another gallery walk after I managed to finished a work for a deadline on the Friday way more earlier too than I expected. This was the result: A sudden visit to Galeri Nasional, Jakarta! The current exhibition held there is Aku Diponegoro: Sang Pangeran dalam Ingatan Bangsa, dari Raden Saleh Hingga Kini.

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The number one highlight of this exhibition is one of the masterpiece by the maestro Raden Saleh which titled "Penangkapan Pangeran Diponegoro". It was so majestic I can't believe I saw the real painting with my own eyes. Okay, so this exhibition is also featuring a lot of works by contemporary artists with their own perspective about Pangeran Diponegoro himself. Let's say a deconstructivism work by an artist recapturing the feelings when he saw Raden Saleh's painting. Or someone who intentionally paint on a Prince Amplifier and then rename it as "Prince Diponegoro Rocks"? And oh, don't forget about a whole installation that displayed his authentic weapons and tools.

This exhibition was very worthy to visit while you're craving to do some artsy and cultural thing in your spare time. There's also a souvenir store located near the main exhibition. I mean, come on, who doesn't love to do some souvenir shopping?

A beautiful notebook I bought from the exhibition.

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The exhibition is currently still open until tomorrow, March 8 2015. The exhibition is open for public and it's free of charge.

Galeri Nasional Indonesia

Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur No.14
Gambir, Jakarta Pusat 10110, Indonesia

Last 2 Weekends

One of breakthroughs I try to make in 2015 is to begin a new (hopefully good) habit, which is having at least one museum, gallery, or festival visit per week, especially on the weekend. It was nice that I finally made this for the last 2 weeks. Hopefully, I can write all of my visits here  in my blog. So, here we go!

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16.02.2015

It was a nice, warm, Sunday afternoon when I set up my foot in Galeria Fatahillah after having some museum walk in Kota Tua, Jakarta (Trivia: Those Museums are Jakarta History Museum a.k.a. Museum Fatahillah, Jakarta Arts and Ceramics Museum, and Wayang Museum). There is an art exhibition held in the gallery, titled Art & Toilet: Bringing Back the Glory of The Past, curated by dr. Oei Hong Djien and Han Awal. Something that intrigued me as I enter the venue was a big, sticker quote on the wall that said:

"... Kota Tua harus membenahi dahulu masalah air seni sebelum apresiasi seni dapat dilakukan sepenuhnya..." 

- Lin Che Wei

The quote written and the title of the exhibition then made sense. It was the ideal concept of Jakarta as a clean, healthy, and immaculate city that were being the matter of concern of the exhibition. This exhibition opened my eyes about how Jakarta in the past can actually putting someone in awe, therefore the venue was named that way. 

The problem is, frankly, do we still care about that ideality?

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The exhibition features some notable artists including the legendary straight-from-tube painter Affandi and Soedjojono. It was a nice, spacey place where you can actually have your own time to see, feel, and contemplate the arts themselves. 

I had a chance to met Mr. Bayu Wardhana, one of the artist who was there doing his project. We're also having some nice talk for some minutes and he showed me his collections and explained every little detail in it. 

It was a nice talk with the artist. Until we meet again, sir! :)

The exhibition still open for public until May 3 2015.

Art & Toilet: Bringing Back the Glory of the Past
Galeria Fatahillah
2nd Floor, Kantor Pos Taman Fatahillah
Jl. Taman Fatahillah no. 3
Jakarta 11110, Indonesia

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21.02.2015

Some few weeks ago my mom read about currently one of the trendiest market in Jakarta for the moment, Pasar Santa and asked me if I could go with her. "Of course! Sure, I will!" I replied in a jolly. So, that was the initial plan. A very impromptu plan.

It was a Saturday the day I went to Pasar Santa, and it was very very very very packed with cars and I can't even find a spot to park. So, we didn't make it to the market and headed straight to Nadi Gallery, where Titik Temu 6: Genetika, an exhibition by my seniors were held. The gallery was a nice, tranquil place and I love to stay and linger there for some long moments.

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"Setiap dari kita berbeda, setiap dari kita adalah satu." 

The main theme of the exhibition is about identity. Each of us were different. We are made of a lot of things. We are unique and a result of acculturation. Those things were reflected on each pieces of visual art in this exhibition. It was nice to see some different approach people made in this exhibition as I saw every single pieces of it.

"Pamali"
A mixed media installation by Evelyn Lindartono and Dhiyan Faza Khalisa

"20x20x20"
Lasercut on wood by Meiliana Kartaatmadja, Cindy, and Shellina Maria Thenata

"Pudar"

A mixed media installation by Veronika Kiranaindra, Valeri Leoni Gunadi, and Sherlyn Fierliani

Some card prints by various artists.

"Blooming series" and "Comfort Zone"

Pieces by fellow blogger Jessica Xu

"The Ingredients of Me"
by Meiliana Kartaatmadja

"Pandora's Box"

Ink and marker on paper by Talula Zuhra Soenharjo

Some souvenirs.

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The exhibition was held until last Monday, February 23 2015. Unfortunately, I can't really enjoy all of the works that were there because some of them were already gone (or I simply didn't make it). But it was a great exhibition! Don't forget to visit the gallery, they frequently held some exhibitions there.

Nadi Gallery

Jl. Kembang Indah III Blok G3 no.4-5

Puri Indah, Jakarta 11610, Indonesia