Indonesia Now - Biographies speakers and panel members

Arnaud Kokosky Deforchaux is the artistic director of the Tong Tong Festival. This cultural festival takes place at the The Tong Tong Fair (1959), the biggest Eurasian fair in the world. The event is a sensory stimulating blend of cultural festival, exhibition and food fest rolled into one, held in an archipelago of tents and stands. One of the biggest attractions is the Tong Tong Festival, with hundreds of performances spread over 12 days. The international Tong Tong Festival takes place in four theatres on the fair site. The Tong Tong Podium is where the major music, dance and fashion artists perform.

Arnaud specialized in Balinese dance after his study in classical ballet, modern and jazz-dance. He made choreographies with a.o. Het Internationaal Danstheater. He worked with Balinese and Javanese dancers and musicians in The Netherlands, Canada, The US and in Indonesia.

Arnold van Bruggen studied History at the University of Amsterdam. Besides his studies Arnold worked for the Dutch Labour Party, the Foundation for Historical Study Travels and humanitarian organisation Mara. Since 2001 he writes articles for numerous newspapers and magazines, about diverse subjects such as Russia, Ukraine and Nicaragua. Arnold writes articles and books, directs and edits (commissioned) films.

His last documentary was Play for Keeps (2011). Between 2009 and 2014 Arnold committed a great deal of his time to The Sochi Project (together with photographer Rob Hornstra). 'The past is a foreign country', Arnold’s project about Indonesia in collaboration with photographer Anoek Steketee was commissioned by Tropenmuseum Amsterdam.

Ayu Utami is a well-known contemporary Indonesian writer, journalist and radio-maker. She has written novels, short-stories, and articles. Her debut novel Saman (Samans Mission), which was published right before the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998, is widely considered as her masterpiece as it is set against the changing cultural and political landscape of Indonesia. In 2000, Utami received a Prince Claus Award for her innovative work. Her novel Bilangan Fu (The Number Fu), published in 2008 which also has been translated in Dutch, illustrates the changes that are taking place in Indonesian society.

Utami has been a journalist for Indonesian magazines like Forum Keadilan and D&R. Currently, she works for an independent news radio station Radio 68H, as a writer for the cultural journal Kalam, and in Teater Utan Kayu in Jakarta. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Indonesia, where she studied Russian language and literature.

Bambang Hari Wibisono is professor in architecture and urban design at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and currently Attache of Education and Culture at the Embassy of Indonesia, The Hague. Previous positions including Vice dean for Academic Affairs and Quality Assurance, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and Head of Department of Architecture and Planning at the same institution. Research interests is on urban space, morphology and transformation. He is presently working as Education and Cultural Attaché at the Indonesian Embassy in the Hague.

Bambang Purwanto is Professor of History at Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta Indonesia and also Extraordinary Professor Leiden University chair on History of Indonesia-Dutch Relations. He is currently the head of doctorate program for humanities at Faculty of Cultural Science Universitas Gadjah Mada and secretary of academic senate at the same university. He obtained his first degree in history at Universitas Gadjah Mada before he went to School of Oriental and African Studies University of London United Kingdom, where he received his MA in 1989 and Ph.D in 1992. He was head of Centre for Southeast Asian Social Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada, where he involved extensively in academic cooperation with different institutions to promote Southeast Asian studies. He has published widely on the economic and social history of Indonesia and on Indonesian historiography.

Ben Verfürden studied Urban and Regional Sociology, Spatial Planning and History of Art at the Radboud University in Nijmegen. Ben Verfürden has been working in the field of conservation, architecture and urban planning since 1985, in the private sector, at the State Government, in the local administration and as a consultant. Since 2011 Ben Verfürden is partner and managing director of Hylkema Consultants, a renowned consultancy, specialized and experienced in conservation, re-use and redevelopment of historic buildings and sites.

Ben Verfürden has been involved in many organizations, as a board or committee member. In the last years his main focus is on reusing historic buildings and redeveloping historic areas as well as the relationship between heritage and tourism and city branding. On several occasions he worked for the purpose of international programs, for instance in Bulgaria, Sri Lanka, Nicaragua and Indonesia (City of Semarang).

Berend Strik was born in Nijmegen in 1960. He studied art at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam and attended the International Studio Program in New York. He was awarded the Prix de Rome in 1987. The Tilton Gallery first showed his work in 1993 and, more recently, in 2005, 2008 and 2014. He has had solo exhibitions at the Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and at galleries including Galerie Fons Welters in Amsterdam, Kabinett in Zurich and Stephane Simoens Contemporary Art in Knokke, Belgium. His work is in the international collections of major European institutions such as the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; The Centraal Museum, Utrecht; Museum de Lakenhal, Leiden and Haags Gemeente Museum, S'Gravenhage. The artist lives and works in Amsterdam.

Cor Passchier is a Dutch architect-researcher, who is a honorary member of IAI (Indonesian Institute of Architects). He currently serves as Director of 'PAC architects and consultants'. He is actively improving cultural ties between Indonesia and the Netherlands, especially in the field of architecture. Has previously been awarded the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for the conservation of the National Archives Building in Jakarta, along with the architects Han Awal and Budi Lim. Recipient of the Prof.Teeuw Award in Architecture in 2007.

After graduating from the urbanism and real estate departments of the Technical University of Delft, Cristian Nita (b. 1982, Bucharest, Romania) started working as Project Coordinator for SHAU Rotterdam. Currently he is responsible for the organisation of various international events focusing on urban and social revitalisation. SHAU uses a mixed cultural program to raise the public awareness and kick-off of new creative functions for long term parts of the city that have been forgotten.

David Henley is a professor of Contemporary Indonesia Studies at Leiden University. He has been a researcher of the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV) between 1993 and 2011. His research focuses on economics, politics and ecology of Southeast Asia. He is a member of the editorial advisory board of International Journal of Indonesian Studies, as well as a member of Boards of Advisors to numerous research development programs like CHATSEA (The Challenges of the Agrarian Transition in Southeast Asia). Additionally, prof.

Henley is also member of editorial boards to various journals like, Moussons: Social Science Research on Southeast Asia. He obtained his degree in Geography at Cambridge University and holds a PhD in Human Geography from the Australian National University.

T. A. Fauzi Soelaiman is a professor in Mechanical Engineering at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Indonesia. From 2010 until 2014 he was appointed at the Education Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in London, UK. Since January 2015, he is posted as the Ambassador/Alternate Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Indonesia in UNESCO, Paris, France.

Gerard Mosterd graduated in academic and modern dance, folk dance and music at the dance department of the Royal Conservatory, The Hague in 1985. As a post graduate he performed globally academic, historical and contemporary works from romantic 19th century masters and post-modern choreographers. Being of half Indonesian desecendance and drawing inspiration from Levi-Strauss, Sellars, Schechner, Artaud, Brook and Mnouchkine, Gerard creates physical theatre from culture clash issues. Through this he became known in the Netherlands within the Dutch-Indonesian cultural scene and moved from there into the circle of regular, small Dutch theaters. From there he took a decisive step into the Indonesian performing arts world.

Since 2002 Mosterd’s choreographies are touring annually through South East Asia and Indonesia in particular. Several of these productions are collaborations with prominent Indonesian artists. In 2010 Gerard started an agency, facilitating the exchange of performing artists between Asia and Europe named www.kantorpos.nl. He regularly contributed articles on Asian performing arts for Latitudes.nu, Moesson magazine and Danspubliek.nl. Gerard is the principal, resident guest choreographer and lecturer with EKI Dance Company in Jakarta. He currently is head of programming for Indomania festival at De Melkweg Amsterdam.

Immediately after graduation at the National Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, (script, direction and editing) he started as a film editor for TV and Dutch features and after some years he switched to commercials and promotional films. He started directing and writing them and founded his own media-production company, “Moving Pictures”. All over the world, he produced, directed and edited a long range of promotional programmes and international documentaries for television, DVD and the internet. He provides custom-made master classes, workshops, training and consultation in Europe, Africa and South East Asia. Presently he is trying to set up projects and partnerships between schools and organisations with the support of the European Union.

Harijono Roebana studied modern dance at the Theatre School in Amsterdam and also philosophy and theatre studies at the University of Amsterdam. Harijono Roebana danced in several performances of in the Netherlands and Belgium-based choreographers. Since his graduation he has worked as a choreographer, since 1989 together with Andrea Leine.

LeineRoebana, the modern dance company of the choreographer’s duo Andrea Leine and Harijono Roebana, has occupied a prominent place in the Dutch dance world since the early nineties. They have developed a unique, idiosyncratic dance idiom based on a novel approach to symmetry, rhythm and composition. The common denominator is the search for expressive art that challenges perception. For each production they work with renowned musicians, singers and composers to create works in which a true symbiosis between music and movement takes place.

LeineRoebana’s work has been awarded several prestigious prizes including: Cagliari (Italy), Bagnolet (France), Lucas Hoving Prize, Philip Morris Art Prize (Netherlands) and has been performed in the Netherlands, as well as throughout Europe and in Indonesia, Canada, Tanzania, Russia, Brazil and the United States.

In Indonesia, she used to work for Bandung Heritage Society (as secretary) and Sumatra Heritage Trust (as founder and executive director). Currently, she is a member of Board of Director of Indonesia Heritage Trust.

In the Netherlands, she is the founder of Heritage Hands On, guest teacher of Museology International Masters Program of Reinwardt Academy, associate of Urban Discovery B.V. and receives assignments from the Netherlands Agency for Cultural Heritage. In 2015, she leads projects about industrial heritage, public private partnership, historical data for inner city revitalization, capacity-building trainings for heritage societies and culinary heritage. She is a fellow of LEAD International (Leadership for Environment and Development) and Salzburg Global Seminar (urban planning). Previously she received UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award for restoration of the historical bridge Tjong Yong Hian in Medan

Ineke de Hoog works since 2013 in the Netherlands Embassy in Jakarta as Deputy Head of Public Diplomacy and Cultural Affairs. Before that she was Shared Heritage Program Manager for one year at SICA (predecessor of DutchCulture) in Amsterdam. Ineke de Hoog has worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for over thirty years. She has worked, amongst other things, as Head of Development and Economic affairs in Paramaribo, Suriname; as Project Manager for the Olympic Games in Vancouver; and Policy Officer for Sport and Development in Dakar. She also has over eighteen years of experience in the field of information and communication

K. Kuswanto is a PhD candidate in the department of International Relations and International Organization (IRIO) of the Faculty of Arts at RUG. He is currently working on a PhD dissertation on managing Foreign Direct Investment in Indonesia under the supervision of Prof. Herman Hoen and Dr. Ronald Holzhacker. Formerly he served as the Head of Sub-division of Foreign Enterprises Cooperation in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Indonesia. He holds a SPIRIT scholarship from the Indonesian government with funding from the World Bank. He holds the BA from the National Institute of Local Governance, Indonesia and a Master Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado Denver, USA.

Mia Maria is a curator and art writer working in Jakarta, Indonesia. From 2009-2013 she has been running an art column for an Indonesian lifestyle magazine as well as writing for various media in Indonesia and Singapore. The past few years, she has curated a number of experimental projects featuring emerging and established Indonesian artists, some of them are Comic Demonic (2011), Parallab (2012), Personal Project (2012), and Grafitti On History (2014). In 2012, she was engaged by the Indonesian Exchange (Bursa Efek Indonesia) to build its first semi-public art collection, and she initiated a series of site-specific commissioned artworks by emerging as well as mid-career contemporary Indonesian artists.

She was also in the curatorial team for Singapore Biennale 2013. In 2014, Mia leads the team to compile Indonesian visual art blueprint for Department of Creative Economy Indonesia. In 2015 Mia has taken the role as coordinator of public education and coordinator of emerging curatorial team in Jakarta Biennale 2015 as well as curating a number of shows in Indonesia and Singapore.

Guitarist and composer Niels Brouwer and vocalist Monica Akihary are the core of Boi Akih, which began in 1996. The duo has developed a distinctive repertoire for the ensemble, one in which cultural roots - musical traditions from the Moluccas, Sunda and Bali, Dutch (European) jazz and improvised music, classical Indian music and traditional African music - form the basis for composition, free improvisation and text. Boi Akih has grown into an ensemble with a striking sound and its very own unmistakable musical idiom.

The search for their ‘own’ roots has created Boi Akih’s unique sound. Sound exploration, compositional forms, improvisation and performance have been essential facets from the very beginning. The development of Monica Akihary’s and Niels Brouwer’s distinctive vocal and guitar styles, have given sounds and elements from various musical traditions a new meaning within the national and international music world.

Pauljac Verhoeven is the head of museum Bronbeek. The museum in Arnhem has a large collection on the rich history of Netherlands East Indies and the Royal Netherlands Indies Army on display. The museum is part of the Bronbeek Royal Home for Retired Military Personnel. He has being working there from 1997 onward in various functions. Previously, he was the collections coordinator at the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, Netherlands.

Prio Sambodho is a PhD Candidate at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research. He is part of a project called “From Clients to Citizens? Emerging Citizenship in Democratising Indonesia, a collaboration between Universitas Gadjah Madah, the University of Amsterdam, and Leiden University which is funded by the Dutch and Indonesian Governments. Prior to this position, he worked at SMERU Research Institute, an Indonesian independent research organization that focus on evidence based poverty and public policy research. He holds Bachelor of Social Science in Sociology from University of Indonesia and Master of Public Policy from Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore.

Dr. Ronald L. Holzhacker is Senior Lecturer in Comparative Political Science and International Relations at the University of Groningen. He holds the PhD from the University of Michigan and the Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Minnesota. He has recently published a book ‘Governance and Decentralization in Indonesia’ (New York, Springer 2015) with Rafael Wittek and Johan Woltjer.

Dr. Holzhacker serves as Director of the SPIRIT Indonesia Groningen (SInGA), a research program on governance and sustainable society in middle-income developing countries, by 10 PhD candidates from the Indonesian civil service and leading Indonesian universities with funding from the World Bank. An international conference of this program called ‘Governance and Sustainable Society in Southeast Asia’, will take place November 18-20, 2015 at the Dutch Royal Academy (KNAW) and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague.

Su Tomesen (1970) is a visual artist based in Amsterdam and Jogjakarta. In 2007, she received her MA in Fine Art at the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam. In the past years she participated in exhibitions such as ‘Selametan Digital’ in Langgeng Art Foundation in Jogjakarta, ‘Wanderlust’ in CBK Zuidoost in Amsterdam, ‘Oet dr sjtup’ in Schunck* in Heerlen. She had a solo exhibition with her husband, the Indonesian artist Teguh Hartanto at the Erasmushuis in Jakarta, and a solo exhibition at Casa Tres Patios in Medellín.

In the summer of 2014 she started the series ‘Plastic Indonesia’ with the works ’Toko’ and ‘Rumah’ in Amsterdam. At this moment, she’s making ‘Jalan’, a film about everyday design and inventiveness in the streets of Jogjakarta. Her work consists of videos, photographs and installations and she travels a lot. Working abroad is a means of putting her (European) position, ideas and being into discussion.