RIVER ACTION IN INDONESIA

SKETCHERS HAD TO TACKLE NEGATIVE VIEWS ABOUT THE CILIWUNG RIVER WHEN THEY EMBARKED ON A COMMUNITY PROJECT TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT ITS IMPACT AND THE NEED TO PROTECT IT. ANNE TAYLOR FOUND OUT MORE FROM ORGANIZER DONALD SALULING.

AT: Congratulations to Indonesia’s Sketchers, USk Indonesia and USk Bogor Sketchers who secured a USk Regional Grant to build sketching and storytelling communities around the Ciliwung River. Can you tell us more about the river?

DS: Ciliwung actually means Ci (water) Liwung (name of the body of water). It was historically one of the natural fortresses of the Padjajaran Kingdom in West Java. It stretches around 120km from the Bogor area in West Java, through the rural region of Depok and all the way to the seaside of Jakarta. Running from mountainous areas, through diverse village cultures, rural inhabitants and urban housing, there are many impacts on and uses of the water. Pollution happens from time to time and from various sources, ranging from factories to domestic waste However, along the river banks, there are also organizations, communities and individuals who fight hard to reduce the impact of pollution in the river, and we collaborated with some of them.

AT: What were your goals for this project?

DS: We wanted to raise the general public’s awareness and passion for the river, and at the same time spread the joy of urban sketching as a tool for social activism. We believe that, together, we can help preserve the river and help its communities grow, collaborate and flourish for many years to come. And we hope that this initiative inspires other USk groups across the globe. Our ‘Ciliwung Rhapsody’ project aimed to highlight the river’s positive impacts in the past, present and future, and raise hope for its rejuvenation. featured chapters

AT: How did you go about this?

DS: We held two one-day events in July and November 2022. From the get go, we wanted to collaborate with communities that have been working on Ciliwung. We also asked children and young people (aged 6-15) in each location to participate in the event. Approximately 90-100 children attended the event and were given art materials to work with. Their artworks were collected to be displayed on the second part of the Regional USk project.

AT: What were the challenges of organising and delivering this to the community?

DS: The challenges, of course, have to do with the river’s reputation. Geographically speaking, the water that floods Jakarta and its surrounding areas, comes from the overflowing Ciliwung Rriver and its branches. Images, news and stories about this made people hesitant join the event. On the other hand, our friends in Bogor, West Java, do not share the same opinion and rather oppose it. Thus, we decided to portray the various aspects of the river through three different locations by conducting simultaneous sketchwalks. Originally we wanted to include the part of the river that is most populated and dense but we found out later that the area was on high alert and was the subject of a government project.

Another challenge that we faced during the preparation was sponsorship. Since we couldn’t promise high attendance for the events, some of our sponsors were hesitant to help us. In the end, only the ones that really cared and believed in our cause, chose to help out.

AT: What feedback did you receive from the USk sketchers involved and people in the local communities?

DS: Sketchers were happy and enthusiastic since the event was long-awaited after the restrictions for Covid. Many were hungry to hang out together, meet up, feel the vibes of typical USk-type sketch together events. Some of the participants were actually newbies and had just started urban sketching during the pandemic. For some participants, this event proved to be eye opening for how they perceive Ciliwung. Not many realized that Ciliwung is not merely about pollution and floods but also about activism, community, and environmental awareness. Local communities were also excited and seeing people come and show appreciation for Ciliwung gives them happiness and hope. They even invited us to come to their communities any time to sketch and work again with the children.

AT: Has this project led to any other thoughts or new directions for Indonesia and Bogor sketchers?

DS: Yes, of course. The event brings us even closer and teaches us a lot about collaborations. We’re poised to get more involved with each other, with possible collaborations ahead.

Santiago de Compostela , the endpoint of the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage and capital of Galicia in northwestern Spain, has hosted Compostela Ilustrada since 2016.

Described as “a winter salon for notebook makers,” Compostela Ilustrada brings selected artists together to produce workshops, lectures and public art. It also celebrates the city’s food and the vibrant culture of Galicia. Here, we take a look at this event and a captivating part of Spain.