Performance
Sirkus di Tanah Pengasingan: Oyong-oyong Ayang-ayang (2023)
A shadow play performance by Jumaadi and the Shadow Factory that adapts the remarkable story of 823 Indonesian nationalist activists who were exiled to Boven Digoel, Papua, in 1926 by the Dutch East Indies government.
18.11.2023–26.11.2023
Jumaadi and the Shadow Factory
Shadows from the Land of Exiles (2023)
45-60 minutes performance
World Premiere
Sirkus di Tanah Pengasingan: Oyong-oyong Ayang-ayang (Shadows from the Land of Exiles) is a shadow play performance by Jumaadi and the Shadow Factory. Consisting of hundreds of intricate paper cut-outs in various sizes and shapes—each paper cut-out represents a fragment of a story, skillfully maneuvered by two shadow makers on two overhead projectors, accompanied by an experimental sound ensemble.
Sirkus di Tanah Pengasingan: Oyong-oyong Ayang-ayang adapts the remarkable story of 823 Indonesian nationalist activists who were exiled to Boven Digoel, Papua, in 1926 by the Dutch East Indies government. In the face of adversity, these individuals turned to music and art as a means of sustenance. They melted down found materials, including nails, blades, empty tin cans, pans, and eating utensils to create a gamelan. In 1942, when Japan took over the Dutch East Indies, these exiles were transported to Australia and they brought with them the gamelan. Following Indonesian independence, some of the activists returned to their homelands. However, the fate of many remain unknown as their stories have faded into oblivion.
Weaving together art, music, and poetry, Jumaadi and the Shadow Factory reimagine a traditional wayang puppet theater—presenting an innovative work that is both lighthearted and unsettling, yet familiar. Through an exploration of paper and music, they invite us to experience beauty and see the way art encourages us to stay alive.
