LIFEs 2017 Has Officially Started with An Opening Night and Dinner

LIFEs 2017 Has Officially Started with An Opening Night and Dinner

(9/7) Komunitas Salihara holds one of its main festival within this year and it is Literature and Ideas Festival 2017. LIFEs aims to put its concern around discussing idea and thoughts. This year’s theme will center around Latin America for its role as a breeding ground for various social political movements and literary sources, thus the tagline is #VivaReborn. On Saturday, 7 October 2017 the first week of LIFEs has begun with an opening night and a dinner. The first day of the opening was conducted in Bahasa Indonesia, and it began with film screening at 1 PM. It was then continued with a discussion regarding art called LITER*ART*URE at 3 PM which was attended by several representatives from Latin America countries as well as the chief organizer of the festival. We were taken to preview the exhibition area called Xalisco Performance Exhibition: Juan Preciado in which Mexican artist, Ines Somellera collaborated with Yogyakartan artist, Hanafi. The exhibition was later officiated the following day, Sunday 8 October 2017.

Every Salihara festival must be started with a dinner under the night sky, so was LIFEs. Unfortunately, Jakarta’s sky wasn’t cooperative that night and the rain started to pour as the event commenced, so the dinner’s venue was changed into an indoor area which is the Black Box theater of Salihara. Not only dinner, we were invited to witness the performances of two prose readers and two poetry readers. Later on, we filled our tummy with a generous selection of buffet dinner which presented all Latin American dishes. This was an exciting part of LIFEs as we got to learn more about Latin America’s culture, both in its literature culture and culinary culture. On its second day of the opening, the event was conducted in English and a piano concert by Jose Riveros, a Chilean pianist welcomed us to enjoy the festival. The Xalisco Performance Exhibition: Juan Preciado was finally opened for public that day upon enthusiasm from the crowd. On the first week there is also a book launching from Juan Rulfo called “Pedro Paramo”. The festival will happen for three weeks until 28 October 2017 with an announcement of the winner of literature critique competition. For more complete details regarding programs, book club and events, check out Salihara’s website here.

Reporter: Intan Maharani/Editor: Novita Widia