The Thought of Freedom

A few months ago GFJA made an open open call for photographers to celebrate its 20th birthday. The underlying theme is "Freedom".

I sent a few old pictures, because i hadn't taken any new photos in over a year. there's literally dust all over my camera when i went to see them, and still haven't dust them off till now.

Nowadays i prefer using my mobile phone to take pictures, its simple, quick and like people today, i never left home without it. i thought about sending these mobile phones' photos, but i had doubts about its quality.

in an email i sent to GFJA, i wrote

"Freedom should never be defined, defining freedom is an act against freedom itself"

When asked the question "what is freedom?" i was silent. Enjoying a cup of coffee and ciggarettes after a hard days work, able to go anywhere at any given time, or as simple as being able to cut my hair the way i wanted to were the things that came to mind. but is it that simple?

Enjoying a cup of coffee and ciggarettes in a cafe after a hard days work is quite relaxing, but what if the cafe is a no smoking area, will it still be called freedom if you chose to ignore the rules and disturb other people? being able to go anywhere at any given time is a thought that will crossed the thought of photographers every now and then, but is freedom really that easy? to travel we need money, and it ain't exactly freedom if we needed money to achieve it.

Freedom is different for each individuals but the underlying idea is the same, Here's my take on it.

Freedom is like a desirable empty space behind DOORS or WINDOWS. In order to achieve it you know that it needed a certain amount of effort. if the doors and windows are opened, you simply need to push it, but if its locked, you have to break it open. but the question is "Do you want to break it?". for those who dare, the will jump to the opportunity and break it at all cost, but most people waited for other people to break it for them. will it still be called individual freedom if you asked or waited other people to break "The Barrier", that leads to freedom, for you.

The most important thing is what you do after that barrier is breached, after you have reached that space behind the door, after freedom is achieved. 

note : All the photos above used Sony Experia Play.

Iman-Thera: The Wedding

 

Tutup Ngisor: The Village

 

Berawal dari obrolan dengan seorang teman, saya pun berangkat menuju Tutup Ngisor, sebuah desa yang konon kabarnya merupakan desa pelopor kesenian masyarakat Gunung Merapi. 

Kehadiran saya disambut oleh Sitras Anjilin, ketua padepokan Tjipta Budaya, dan anak-anaknya. setelah mengutarakan maksud kedatangan saya, untuk mendokumentasikan kegiatan berkesenian di Tutup Ngisor, mereka pun mempersilahkan saya untuk menginap di rumah mereka. 

Tak lama setelah beristirahat, saya melihat sekelompok anak-anak yang usianya mungkin tidak lebih dari 8 tahun bermain-main di panggung padepokan, mereka menari dan bermain gamelan dan gendang dengan fasih. Saya sempat mengira bahwa mereka sedang berlatih untuk pertunjukan yang akan datang, tetapi setelah melihat seorang wanita mengusir mereka dari panggung, saya pun sadar bahwa mereka ternyata hanya bermain-main. kata "luar biasa" pun terlontar secara tidak sengaja.

kehadiran saya ternyata bertepatan dengan persiapan acara tahunan mereka. Sebagian warga desa tengah bergotong royong agar acara tersebut bisa berjalan dengan lancar.

Padepokan yang memiliki panggung yang terbilang sangat layak itupun menjadi pusat kegiatan persiapan mereka. Para penduduk desa yang bertani sejak pagi hari, mulai berdatangan saat sore hari. Selain mengadakan rapat persiapan mereka pun berlatih lakon atau tarian yang mereka akan mainkan pada acara tahunan tersebut. Lelah berladang seharian pun tidak menurunkan semangat mereka berkesenian. Tak ada bayaran. makanan dan minuman (walaupun sederhana) disediakan bersama. 

Kerelaan dan ketulusan mereka dalam bekerja dan berkesenian sungguh luar biasa. Bagi penduduk Tutup Ngisor, seni telah mendarah daging. Hal ini berbeda dengan warga sekitar Merapi yang konon melihat seni sebagai sarana berdamai dengan para penunggu gunung. Seni bagi mereka sama pentingnya seperti  bekerja, makan bahkan bernapas. Kaum muda tak merasa terpaksa untuk meneruskan tradisi. Ketertarikan timbul dengan alami dari mengamati orangtua dan kakak-kakak mereka. Ketukan gendang, dentingan gamelan, tarian-tarian dan lakon-lakon wayang sudah jadi bagian hidup sejak mereka kecil. 

Bersambung...

Ah, The Irony

money can't buy you happiness, but all roads that leads to it requires money #ahtheirony

The Place I want to be vs The Place I need to be

if you're stuck on an office chair, you're bound to miss the things you used to do. Rewinding past memories and you keep on asking to yourself "what if?".

But life goes on, and you started to realize that there's a reason for everything.

"For now, this 3x4 room is where i need to be, but someday I'll be where i want to be."