Festival of Indonesia in Lisbon

Yesterday, I visited a temporary exhibition of Lisbon’s Orient Museum, which is promoting the arts of Indonesia and revealing their most varied aspects. The “Festival of Indonesia” is taking place from 6th to 17th November here in Lisbon, and the museum is staging a photography exhibition illustrative of the landscapes, people and culture of that country.

The programm includes Dances of Indonesia, Gamelan Music Orchestra (Yogyakarta Institute of the Arts, from the island of Java), The Shadow Theater (the traditional Wayang Kulit), Surfing, handicrafts, gastronomy, and the best of the Indonesian movie: Laskar Pelangi (by Riri Riza), Denias Senandung di Atas Awan (John de Rantau) and Naga Bonar Jadi 2 (by Deddi Mizwar). There are also many workshops for kids and adults, such as of Batik. Very very beautiful and interesting! I loved it!

Housed in a former warehouse, Lisbon's Orient Museum is dedicated to Asian art with a special emphasis on the Portuguese presence in the East. Opened in 2008, it was the result of 30 million euros of investment for the conversion of the building, which maintained the façade. The collection belongs to Portugal's Orient Foundation and includes Indo-Portuguese pieces, Chinese, Japanese, and Indonesian ceramics, textiles, furnishings, paintings, and masks.

A particularly strong collection is found in the Gods of Asia section, a selection from the vast Kwok On collection that was donated to the Orient Foundation, including Hindu and Buddhist pieces. In addition to being a museum, this is also a cultural center, with a program of live shows in its auditorium and an education center offering courses in Asian cooking and culture. Asian food is served at the restaurant located on the top floor, and there is also a café on the lower level, and a shop by the entrance.