2. ACICIS Internship / Residency: Babaran Segaragunung Culture House …

Unusually for this time of the year the rainy season is holding off – seemingly strange and noted by all.  And unusually for an ACICIS program, my internship has become a residency as well. 
 
Not just a work placement, I have been warmly welcomed and fully immersed in culture and life residing at Babaran Segaragunung Culture House (BSG) here in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.  At BSG, I am falling for the resident baby. Ibi, just a few months old sets the scene and the rhythm with her presence. And, I start a daily drawing practice; writing daily notes; documenting this time, place and people in photographs; and a reflective journal that will be submitted each week as part of this ACICIS program.  I begin my day hanging out continuing to learn some Bahasa Indonesian and swapping some English with the local student interns here. 
 
Artists Nia Fliam and Agus Ismoyo of BSG dedicate sessions with me focusing on the creative process through batiks, their stories and histories, and of their motifs with their embedded meanings and related philosophies.  Told through looking at the ancient semen batik motif, I hear about the concept of Tribawana, of the three worlds and begin to sense some of Nia’s and Isomoyo’s ways of seeing, thinking, feeling and being. I feel incredibly privileged to be in this place of cross cultural dialogue with Nia’s and Ismoyo’s open generosity. You can see and read a little their extraordinary cross cultural collaborations here: https://www.brahmatirtasari.org/exhibitions.html
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