photos are deeds, my photos stutter

fast forward panorama

Goenawan Mohamad writes in ‘God and Other Unfinished Things’ about the Copernican revolution:

The more man comprehends the size of the

universe, the more apparent is the planet’s

solitude. The starker is man’s isolation. This

planet is but a fleeting dot. And yet, in those

moments of neglect, loss and absence are hardly

extraordinary.

Life is so close to the skin and absence so

grand. I remember a line in Sitor Situmorang’s

‘Cathedral des Chartres’: “Life and doom

become one."

this is desire?

drowning in words
written on stone tablets
listening, hearing, reading
searching, for voracious voices
so hoarse, coarse, unheard-ofness

Arte-Polis 2

No matter how much time we philosophers and sociologists spend on how our cities ought to be, could be or could have been, it is us as users who create and recreate cities by our daily activities. At Institute of Technology Bandung the second Arte-Polis conference will be organized from 8 to 10 August and the topic: Creative Communities and the Making of Place. For more information on Arte-Polis see here.

parking lot guards and fitna

Upon hearing that I'm from the Netherlands, they asked me about the movie Fitna by Geert Wilders. I was rather surprised to hear that this was a topic for street talk.

in the air...

memo

What is new in town?

Recycling

Sociologists claim that poverty comes with pollution. However, the poor also make a living out of recycling the waste of the rich.

Siesta

Let's dance...tonight

in repair, in despair

Fitna

In last week's Tempo Magazine cartoon by Prijanto S. says the man: "Crazy foreigner." And the lady says then: "Be patient." Before Geert Wilders posted his movie online, I published 'Freedom of Expression running wild, wilder, Wilders' in the Jakarta Post, see here.

elections in West Java

Today for the very first time the people of West Java can directly elect a pair of Governor and Vice-Governor. Too bad these three pairs did not hire some good graphic designers, now Bandung suffers of visual pollution, in their enthusiasm the teams of these pairs have put posters and banners on every spot - from the Jalan Braga corner to the angkot (i.e. minibus) station and far beyond. Now it seems just an all male beauty contest: a set of names&faces with a slogan and a number. Appearantly the first pair represents Golkar Party and the Democratic Party (the party of the President), Danny is incumbent Governor. Of the second pair Agum Gumelar and hus running mate Nu'man Abdul are nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P, the party of former President Megawati Soekarnoputri), United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB - the party of former President Abdurrahman Wahid, better known as Gus Dur). Ahmad and Dede, the third pair, are nominated by the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and National Mandate Party (PAN).

view on Bandung

ooh...jakartaaa...

In Jakarta, you are not alone any longer... The cartoon is by Benny Rachmadi and Muhammad Misrad (better known as Mice).