Parade (working title)
In progress, performance in public space in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Parade Pedagang Keliling, in short Parade, is a parade of street vendors ("pedagang") that go around ("keliling").
Early 2020, just before the pandemic, I researched the possibilities for a new work in public space in Yogyakarta during a residency at Kedai Kebun Forum. I collected sounds of ambulant street vendors. In Indonesia these sellers use 'tools' or 'instruments' to get attention from potential customers: the sound of a fork on a bowl, spoon on a glass cup, wooden stick on bamboo etc. Different sounds refer to specific food or drinks.
In the course of 2021-2022 I wrote a composition with the specific sounds, thanks to a development grant of the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts and the knowledge of composer Sinta Wullur as well as music teacher Michiel Niemantsverdriet. The composition is based on the structure of Javanese gamelan.
In December 2022 and January 2023 I returned to Yogyakarta to work on Parade with the ambulant vendors. It had been three years since my last visit there. The aim was to find the vendors, rehearse the composition and prepare the parade. I worked from our home there and at Krack! Studio, and was assisted by producer Iteq Fitri Kristiyoarti and conductor Mas Krimbi. We succeeded in our process: we rehearsed the composition with the vendors three times, and I continued preparing the parade by meeting people of a film crew led by cameraman Kurnia Yudha. Until now the project has been made possible by the Development Budget at the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts.
Later in 2023 or in 2024 - in the dry season - the aim is to realise the performance with a parade through a few streets in the south of Yogyakarta. Afterwards there will be free food and drinks presented by the vendors. The parade will be filmed for a new multi channel video installation.