Indonesian Student Creates Wayang with Contemporary Style

Delft, The Netherlands (Antara) - An Indonesian student in Strasbourg, France, has created Indonesian traditional puppets, called wayang in a contemporary style to increase attractiveness of the Indonesian cultural heritage and can keep it up with modern technology. "Indonesian wayang is very unique compared to those from other countries such as Thailand," Ismarini Indah Setyoningrum said here Sunday. However, according to her, wayang has no longer attracted much interest from the Indonesian younger generation compared to other entertainment products such as video games and the foreign films played in theaters. "I am afraid wayang would become extinct if no one preserves it," Ismarini said, adding that traditional wayang in contemporary style is the topic of research for her thesis at the University of Strasbourg to introduce the traditional puppets to the international community. She explained the uniqueness of the Indonesian puppet is not only in its form and character, but also the technique of its production that requires special art expertise. Indonesian puppet is made using a chisel and with this technique characters are formed on leather materials such as buffalo leather. When the puppets are illuminated, those holes inlay will display motifs of the characters. This is what makes the Indonesian puppet impress details, Ismarini said. "I want to keep this puppet making technique to remain existing," she said.(*)