Equestrian statue

The story below is from a small collection by the Danish author Peter Adolphsen called ‘Små historier 2′ – Little stories 2. The translation is very unofficial and quickly made.

Here it goes:

Equestrian Statue
- Recipe of a sculpture

For this work of art is needed an equestrian statue made of bronze, appx. 20 electro-motors with cords and operating system, one sturdy steel pipe, nuts and so on.

All joints of man and horse are cut off, the neck of the rider, his shoulders, wrists, the horse’s ears, legs, tail etc., all places where it is possible and aesthetically appropriate. An electro-motor is installed in each of the cut-off joints so that it holds together the two parts and drives the one of them round. They revolve first the one way and then the other so that the cords – that are drawn on the inside of the statue and down through a steel pipe – will not become twisted. All motors drive slowly, but each at its own pace, to the effect that the finished statue once set in motion will never repeat exactly the same posture.

As regards the technical exhibition accessories, title of the sculpture, reflections reproduced on plates and in interviews, it is up to individual taste and temperament whether one will stress the status of the equestrian statue as a symbol of power in the history of art and claim that its unnatural movement is an illustration of art’s traditional surrender to the biddings of power, whether one will claim that the partially portrayed hollowness of the statue contributes to the old debate of shell and matter, or if one will let the visual impression stand alone to form a more naked presentation.

It is also up to the individual whether the sculpture should be in constant motion or be set in motion by the audience’s turning of a switch. Note that the latter solution appeals to children.

Peter Adolphsen
(I translated this from his “Små historier 2” (Little Stories, 2), Samleren, Copenhagen, 2000

Promoting Pluralism in West Java

I have previously posted on some depressing cases of religious intolerance. Those cases do seem more prevalent than cases of tolerance. Therefore it is all the more heartening to read occassional examples of the latter.

In the latest issue of Inside Indonesia, Joanne McMillan accounts for one inspiring West Javanese example of religious tolerance.

Notably, it is the story of a Kyai – Kyai Maman – who before 1998 found it obvious to side with violent groups against ‘unbelievers’ and people of other faiths than his own. Only after seeing the dreadful incidents of violence – in connection with the Jakarta riots – did he move away from this position.

He now works at both grassroots and more recently political party levels to defend the consitution’s granting of religious freedom in the country.

It will be interesting to follow the work of Kyai Maman and others like him. How will their general view of Indonesia’s political problems and understanding of religion’s place, square with those of other parties? How will voters value this issue in relation to others? At an organisational level, it will be important to see whether there is room for anything like a ‘coalition of religious tolerance’. Will PKB be a lonely champion in this regard, and will it be a strong or weak such? How about PKS, a party that on other issues may have views that are quite close to PKB, and whose constituency is similar also? How about Golkar, who under Suharto favoured a somewhat less dogmatist Ministry of Religion.

He slept on the floor

What news, what news! West Java deputy governor Dede Yusuf, on visiting a village in Sukabumi chose to sleep on the floor in the home a local resident, rather than stay in a hotel.

Viewed as a political strategy it seems highly effective. Former actor, martial arts champion, handsome selebriti now politician Dede Yusuf has glamour by the tonnes about him, yet elicits humility and respect for the common man. Great story; easily written (newspapers don’t need to send out a reporter), easily understood (“now that’s a guy you can trust”), and easily retold.

Therefore I think there are some important potential consequences of PKS and PAN pursuing this strategy.

Related discussion here

Learning Indonesian – great link

I just came across this wonderful link to a website with a set of exercises for learning Indonesian.

It’s great!

Conspiracy update

Right, of course: The Ahmadiyah Islamic sect was REALLY an attempt by the British to rule India, and continues to be aimed at undermining Islam from within. At least, so says the head of the Majelis Ulama Indonesia, MUI in West Sumatra, Buya Masoed Abidin. Unfortunately this is not a suprising stance of Abidin.

At the same time, the president of LBH Political and Legal Struggle, Aldian Pinem, states that the Geert Wilders movie “Fitna” was an attempt to create the impression that all violence in the world was caused by Muslims. Yes, I suppose that was the purpose of Wilders’s film, and yes he should be criticised for this. Shall we leave it there, then? According to Mr. Aldian, no. As Patung reports at IndonesiaMatters, Aldian recommends that Wilders ‘be put to death for his lies’!

Patung, whom I copied the material from, has the full report here. Sigh.

“Anti-Muslim, yes… but not fanatically so”

Birthe Rønn Hornbech, the Danish Minister for Integration has taken a commendable stance against attempts to legislate about people’s private use of religious symbols while executing public office. The backdrop of her argument is that the Danish People’s Party has made a campaign against judges wearing the Muslim veil, and in particular the burqa. Social Democrats have made similar calls, though they have been quick to uncall the calls. Instead they have wimpishly called for a ‘debate’ on the matter. The government – oh, ever so efficient – called for a ‘fast-working group’ to come up with suggestions on the matter.

The Anatomical Drawing

I was talking to Christina, my partner, the other night about donation of organs and other remains for the common good. Should I donate my organs? This would mean that in case of brain death, doctors would ‘terminate’ me slowly, while transferring organs to needy people. It might mean that my death would be somewhat less solemn and devoted for my loved ones. But my answer is Yes.

Should doctors also be allowed to take not only organs, but also other parts; say the cornea. Hm. Well. Yes, again. But then, should I donate all the rest of bodily remains to science. I don’t know. I really don’t know. But the question reminded me of a beautiful little story by the Danish author Peter Seeberg, The Anatomical Drawing. I tried to translate it, so here goes:

Sadly right

Yesterday’s editorial in The Jakarta Post is sadly right: Parliament is supporting religious persecution of the Ahmadiyah religious sect

PKS and PAN win the governorship of West Java

West Java is the most populous of Indonesia’s 33 provinces. On Sunday gubernatorial elections were held in the province with a somewhat surprising result. According to Indonesian Survey Institute polls, the ‘HADE pair’ Ahmad Heryawan and Dede Yusuf from the Prosperous Justice Party and National Mandate Party, respectively, have won almost 40 per cent of the vote. Incumbent governor Danny Setiawan from Golkar came second with his running mate, Agum Gumelar.

Generally the turn-out for the election was low, only some 35 per cent of the voters, so the party who could move their supporters all the way to the voting booth had a strong hand. Opinion polls prior to the elections had found a much stronger support for Golkar and PDI-P than the final result.

Rostrum of Fate

Rostrum of Fate

Speak not of
great nations and small nations
peripheries, corners of the world and fringes.

This is a ball; the middle
is under the soles of your feet
and moves itself and follows
you, no matter where you go.

Here is the land
where the continents correspond
in their search for silence and stone.

Behold the glacier
how it waddles through the skyblue
like a polar bear on its way through the world.

In the dream a gate opens
and darkness comes streaming
like tears through sleep.

Here is the land
where time comes tumbling
like a newspaper through a letter slot,
but there is no subscriber,
no room behind it
only a yawning abyss
in which the stars shine.

When we sink to the bottom
in the dark swamp of night
we pull ourselves up again by the hair.

The Milky Way
is a street in a little fishing village,

fate is a net
laying itself over the houses,
we make our toasts
with the abyss of the sea between us.

The northern lights
flame where we walk.

(Einar Már Gudmundsson)