Enviro News Asia, Washington, D.C. – The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA), one of the most prestigious art institutions in the United States, hosted a special weekend dedicated to celebrating Indonesian performing arts.
In close collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Washington, D.C., the event showcased the richness of the archipelago’s culture through film, music, and traditional theater.
The series of events opened on Friday, September 26, with the screening of Setan Jawa, a silent film directed by Garin Nugroho. The film presents Javanese mythology through a contemporary horror lens, inspired by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau’s classic silent film Nosferatu.
Its narrative explores the ancient legend of humans making pacts with the devil in exchange for wealth, framed within a story of love, sacrifice, and mysticism.
The screening was accompanied by a live score featuring composer and vocalist Peni Candra Rini, Professor Andy McGraw of the University of Richmond, master puppeteer I Gusti Putu Sudarta, and international musicians Shahzad Ismaily and Scott Clark.
The collaboration blended Indonesian gamelan traditions with contemporary experimental music, weaving structured compositions with improvisation to create a multisensory experience that heightened the film’s visual impact. A post-screening discussion with Garin Nugroho gave audiences a deeper look into the film’s creative process.
On Sunday, September 28, audiences were treated to a Balinese Wayang Kulit Shadow Play performed by I Gusti Putu Sudarta. The play featured the story of Sutasoma, a prince who renounced the throne to pursue Buddhist spiritual enlightenment, confronting forest demons including an elephant-headed beast and a giant serpent.
The performance, lasting 75 minutes, was accompanied by gamelan and keroncong music performed by Gamelan Raga Kusuma, led by Professor McGraw, with vocals by Peni Candra Rini.
The show surprised audiences with a keroncong rendition of the Bee Gees classic Staying Alive, and concluded with an interactive session where attendees could engage directly with the puppeteer and explore the wayang collection used in the performance.
Later that same day, Garin Nugroho’s Opera Jawa (2006) was screened. This epic film interweaves gamelan music, Javanese poetry, and traditional dance choreography.
Originally commissioned as part of the New Crowned Hope Festival in Vienna to mark the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, Opera Jawa positions gamelan as an “opera of the archipelago” in dialogue with Western opera traditions.
With its themes of love, suffering, and humanity, the film resonates universally, echoing Mozart’s Requiem as a meditation on grief and hope. Like Setan Jawa, the screening was followed by a Q&A session with the director.
The weekend concluded with a reception featuring traditional Indonesian delicacies, allowing guests to savor the flavors of the archipelago after immersing themselves in its artistic traditions.
Indonesia’s Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Indroyono Soesilo, expressed his appreciation for the event. “Indonesia is a country of more than 17,000 islands, hundreds of languages, and diverse traditions.
Through film, music, and performing arts, we are not only sharing our cultural wealth but also strengthening bridges of friendship with the American people,” he said.
The collaboration between KBRI Washington, D.C. and the Smithsonian Institution underscores Indonesia’s commitment to making arts and culture an integral part of the Indonesia–U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Beyond political and economic diplomacy, cultural exchange is seen as one of the most tangible ways to connect the people of both nations.
As a continuation, Setan Jawa and Opera Jawa will also be screened at Asia Society in New York on October 4–5, featuring appearances by Garin Nugroho, Peni Candra Rini, I Gusti Putu Sudarta, and Professor Andy McGraw. (*)
