ART SUMMIT INDONESIA V, 2007:
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL ON CONTEMPORARY ARTS
SEMINAR
THEME
Behind the Cultural Industry
It is a well accepted fact that the cultural industry that especially
produce works of popular mass art has dominated the tastes and preferences
of the masses, the so-called general public. The youth are mostly
included within that target market. Contestation becomes a relevant issue
to be discussed, analyzed, and fought in the battlefield. It is a fact
that popular (sometimes related to vulgar) tastes are being contested
against highly aesthetic values related to nobility, serenity, etc. Within
that general problem of contestation and domination, aspects that could be
developed into sub-themes of the seminar are:
1.The problem of marketing
Marketing is a field of economic activity that includes aspects of:
(a) identification of the captive market for a certain kind of product;
(b) setting the criteria of product quality or characteristics that is
expected to guarantee selling success; as well as:
(c) advertisement interventions to influence the choice of consumers.
The problem may lie in the question of whether the assumptions used to
determine what characteristics will be popular are correct, or morally
acceptable; or whether the trend-setting strategy to clear the path to the
market is fair enough with regard to cultural development objectives which
would better stress on nobility and sincerity, rather than triviality and
vulgarity.
2.The challenge for education and enculturation processes
The masses, including the youth within it, as consumers of the cultural
industry should not be neglected in their right to get the best of cultural
expressions that may heighten their human dignity. Thence, the need for
education and enculturation processes to meet the fulfillment of that
aspect of human rights. The channels might be formal education as well as
non-formal education, both within the family and community, or through mass
media. The central issue is that good taste in art/culture and noble
character need to be cultivated purposefully.
3. The problem of separateness between the world of popular and
serious art
There is indeed the fact that the world of popular showbiz art and that
of serious high art is discretely separated. Occasional merging of
creators from the two worlds does exist from time to time, but in general
the two comprise two separate worlds. Bridging programs should always be
encouraged, both within the sphere of enjoyment/consumption.
DATE AND VENUE
The Seminar will be scheduled for two days, on 2nd and 3rd November
2007 at Hotel Gren Alia, Jakarta.
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