Location
Ardha Chandra or known as Art Center in Bahasa Indonesia is Taman Budaya
located at Kecamatan Kesiman, municipality of Denpasar. More precisely is
at the southern end of the Nusa Indah street of East Denpasar city. Three
access can be taken to reach the area, one is from Sanur taking Jalan Hang
Tuah from where bigger cars can enter, or from the crossroad of Jalan Gianyar
and Gatot Subroto which is preferable to got with traffic flows already
in line as in Indonesia including Bali the line is on the left. Third access
is from west Denpasar city which are available many roads, but all are difficult
due to the dense traffic, Only smaller cars such as taxi or mini van are
suggested to access art center from the west. Geographically today ardha
chandra looks lay in the center of Denpasar city, due to the extension of
the east Denpasar further east, up to the border with Kabupaten Gianyar,
a distance of more then 5 km east and with the opening of beach road to
the east Bali the extension of the city is even further east along the road.
Before 2000 the Kecak dance was presented at one of the corner of ardha
chandra, and due to the difficulty for bigger bus then organizer of the
dance moved the stage to the new place just on the right side of main road
from Sanur to Kesiman.
Ardha Chandra or Art Center
Taman Budaya or Art Center architecturally is a complex of buildings with
the main mark of a big open stage. Designed by a traditional Balinese architect
Ida Bagus Pugur, opened for public in 1973. Besides the traditional open
stage there are many buildings and hall constructed in Balinese architecture
with finest decoration. These buildings are consist of two types, one type
is for permanent exhibition and others are for seasonal exhibition, especially
during Bali Art Festival of June every year. Two buildings with the finest
Bali architecture are for permanent exhibition where one can see various
art of Bali from dance facilities or figures, carvings, clothing arts, paintings,
and others. During Bali art festival the whole buildings ar filed with exhibition
of all type of products, not only art products but also history, books,
daily needs, creative products, governments departments with their duties
and others. A real bustling situation during one month of the feast. The
activities at the open stage even more lively, as scheduled life shows present
their representatives from traditional dance or drama or pantomime from
Bali, other Indonesian provinces and foreign participants. Loyal foreign
participants so far such as India, Thailand, USA, France, Australia, Japan,
and Korea. New country such as Vietnam and Cambodia have also actively participating.
The mot interesting moment is during the opening of the art festival, which
is always started from Puputan City square with procession of dances, musics,
decorations, marshal art and others, finishing at Renon city square where
invited high officials and foreign officials are waiting in a temporary
set up Bali traditional pavilions with thatched roof. Along the way the
procession which consist of various artists show their actions or dance
catch up by many TV stations or journalists. The procession usually started
at 9 pm and finishes 12 noon marking the start of a month long art festival.
The livelihood of the situation can be seen both at the exhibition and at
the open stage starting from the night of the opening ceremony with the
procession. Every evening or night has been scheduled the turn of each representative
to present their show which is normally has been confirmed long before the
event. During the day the open stage also not always rest, but some times
the school or universities will fill with many activities such as life drum
band, drama or any other art activities they can present. Beside normal
show there are also a kind of competition among the same traditional music
of Bali such as Gong, and the winner will be given the appreciation. All
these activities schedule can be found at the office of Dinas Kebudayaan
in Renon Denpasar.
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