Filipino Magic: Illusionist Kent Oliver Estrada

By: Jesse Boga

Illusionist and proud Davaoeño Kent Oliver Estrada has a lot of tricks even if he’s not wearing sleeves. In fact, shape shifting may be one of his fortes.

Here’s why: before he journeyed into the world of magic, he grew up in Davao City, Philippines and spent his high school days in Holy Cross of Davao. He studied radiology technology in Davao Doctor’s College and passed the board. He was then a radiology technologist in the day, and an aspiring magician in his spare time, practicing close up magic and constantly drawing inspiration from the card tricks he learned from his uncle in his childhood.

AKA – HARD BEAT

By: Kees Schepel

In 2011 Canadian record company Strawberry Rain Records released Hard Beat (available on cd and on vinyl), an anthology of the Indonesian band AKA. This fact in itself is nothing out of the ordinary. We live in a world that is getting smaller and smaller, thanks to Facebook, Twitter and all other forms of cyber communication. No surprise therefore that I first heard of AKA through Facebook.

Nashville’s coolest band, Those Darlins, posted a Youtube film (well, film... more a song, accompanied by stills of record sleeves) of the song Crazy Joe on their Facebook wall. From Surabaya 1975  to Nashville 2011, and from there and then to the freezing Lowlands... easy!

The Indonesian Cinematheque

By: Labodalih Sembiring

Indonesians are more familiar with the term “Sinematek Indonesia” when referring to their cinematheque, not that it is that well-known outside certain circles such as film researchers and students, film festivals, and television stations. Despite its significance — it holds about 2,000 film titles and stores over 3,000 film reels and videos — one will soon feel its somber atmosphere upon visiting the facility.

In the words of its founder, while the Indonesian film industry was blossoming throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the cinematheque was dying because of its meager budget. It does not look so much different today.

Travel to the Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s Ancient Temples

By: Vijay Khurana

Short of a time machine, you couldn’t find a better way to lose yourself in the past than by visiting Cambodia’s Angkor temples. You’ll see immaculately preserved carvings made a thousand years ago to honor gods and kings. You’ll see nature and man fighting their eternal battle as jungle slowly overruns haunting stone ruins. Most importantly, you’ll see Cambodia as it once was.

The temples are commonly referred to as Angkor Wat. In fact, they’re a sprawling collection of over a dozen temple complexes, built by different kings in different time periods. Angkor Wat itself serves as the stunning centerpiece. This enormous city-like temple with its pools, walkways and bas-relief carvings is ingrained in the national identity. Its iconic towers feature on many a picture postcard in the country, as well as adorning the Cambodian flag.

Seminar ‘Nurturing the Youth’s Creativity through Contemporary Dance

Seminar ‘Nurturing the Youth’s Creativity through Contemporary Dance: A Collaboration among Cultures” will be taking place on Thursday, the 2nd of February 2012 at the Erasmus Huis Jakarta from 09.00 – 15.00.

This seminar is a collaboration between Erasmus Huis, Indonesian Dance Festival and Fakultas Pertunjukan, IKJ. Speakers: Sal Murgiyanto, Maria Darmaningsih, Melina Surya Dewi, Gerard Mosterd and Nungki Kusumastuti.

Art Stage Singapore

Art Stage Singapore is Asia’s premier international art fair. It is a rendezvous point for the movers and shakers of the Asian Art market. Focused on quality through stringent selection, it provides an avenue for dynamic dialogue between collectors, artists, curators, galleries and art aficionados.  Art Stage embraces Singapore’s unique position as a bridge between the East and the West in a celebration of both emerging new regional artists and international superstar names.

In 2012, Art Stage Singapore (ArtSS12) will be held on 12 to 15 January at the Marina Bay Sands Convention and Exhibition Centre. With over 100 galleries exhibiting, there will also be a lecture series featuring renowned art industry professionals, various fringe programmes, and art-centred activities over the four fair days.

Tran Anh Hung: An introduction to the films of a Vietnamese-French maverick director

By: Patrick Durkan

Vietnamese film maker Tran Anh Hung has a European arthouse aesthetic and philosophy which he applies to East Asian settings and characters. This mixture sets up a dialogue between east and west in terms of representation in film, commerciality and art. In this article we will take a look at this extraordinary film maker and his most lauded films.

Of his five films, three are set in Vietnam, one in America, Vietnam and Hong Kong and the last in Tokyo, Japan. They range from a meditation on beauty, suffering and poverty in a Vietnam city to a dark fantastical detective story about transgression in English with American heart throb Josh Hartnett transported to Hong kong.

Malaysian Artist Shieko Reto: ‘Sembur with Style’

By: Melissa Lin

Shieko Reto’s drawings, paintings and illustrations are whimsical, humorous and bittersweet. They are records of daily life experience, interactions and nuggets of experience to inspire and convey stories and meanings as seen through her eyes. Her stories and cartoons as told through her zines and her art invite us what it means to live a life of courage, and of being a dreamer from the different depths and dimensions. On Latitudes she shares her personal stories and views on art, and being an artist in Malaysia with us.

Sheiko’s art can be viewed on her blog. She is available for commissions, collaborations and correspondence.

Indonesian Filmmaker Febian Saktinegara & DSLR Filmmaking in Indonesia

By: Ari Purnama

With the rise of the DSLR filmmaking practices, Indonesia boasts a number of young talented individuals who take this platform seriously as a documentary or fiction storytelling medium. Febian Nurrahman Saktinegara, a 21-year-old native Jakartan, is one of these fresh talents that embrace DSLR moving image making with an innovative outlook. His lyrical non-narrative documentary on the contemporary urbanity of the capital city Jakarta, entitled “Merangkum Jakarta”, has won numerous praises, nominations and awards ranging from the SBM Golden Lens Award of the Erasmus Huis Jakarta to the Special Artist recognition at the ASEAN-Korea Multimedia Competition 2011.

Febian, known as ‘Embi’ to his friends and family, gives us a poetic treatment of the city that is full of gaps and contradictions through “Merangkum Jakarta”, but this is only the beginning. Ari Ernesto Purnama conversed with Embi for Latitudes.nu concerning his background, technique, views of Jakarta and Indonesia, and his future aspirations.

Jun Rodino Artajo: Filippino Fashion Designer Steals the Show

By: Jesse Pizarro Boga

He’s a fashion blogger when he’s facing his computer. He’s an active Lookbook.nu user when he’s trigger happy with his camera. He’s a fashion design instructor when he’s at the Philippine Women’s College of Davao.

Jun Rodino Artajo seems to be doing to too much. And he doesn’t know when to stop.

And why should he? He’s definitely going places (in fabulous outfits, of course) now that his life in the fashion world has taken off after he waves in a design contest that’s said to be a gateway to the fashion industry.

His creation called Dreamweaver was selected as one of the top 50 (out of 2,500!) to strut the ramp of Meguro Gajoen Hotel for the Japan Fashion Design Contest. And being a finalist wasn’t just what he ended up with: Dreamweaver zoomed past the others as it won second place in the competition, beating designs of fashion students and designers from France, Russia, Belgium, and Germany.