The 26th convocation of Graduate and Postgraduate of the Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) Denpasar took place in a special way, Monday (6/9). It was special because it was coupled with the opening of the Bali Sangga Dwipantara Festival by presenting the Minister of Administrative Reform and Bureaucratic Reform (PAN RB) RI Tjahjo Kumolo, the Governor of Bali as Chair of the Denpasar ISI Board of Trustees, Wayan Koster, and a scientific oration by Humanist Goenawan Mohamad. In addition to the graduation of 325 Bachelors, Applied Bachelors, and Masters of Arts, the event also featured the involvement of Indonesian Maestros, Artists, Art Workers, and Academics in the virtual performance of Umah Bersama Nusantara (Bali-Dwipantara Bhakti).
The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Alumni, Dr. A A. Gede Rai Remawa explained, there were 325 graduate participants, consisting of; 176 Bachelors and Applied Bachelors from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design with commendable honors 143 graduates; 110 Bachelor of Performing Arts Faculty with 86 commendable honors; 39 Masters of Arts with 33 graduates with commendable honors. “The best graduate of the undergraduate program was achieved by Ni Putu Ayu Aneska Rastini Dewi with a 3.99 GPA. Best applied undergraduate program: Lady Athalia and Ni Komang Diah Sri Dewi Klenting Sari with a GPA of 3.95. The best for the master program: Ni Kadek Dwi Pratika Dewi, I Nyoman Agus Hari Sudama Giri, and Ni Putu Irma Maha Sasmita with a 4.00 GPA,” explained the former Head of the Design Masters Study Program.
The rector of ISI Denpasar Prof. Wayan ‘Kun’ Adnyana gave his appreciation for the achievements of all the graduates. He proudly releases all the Arrows of the Future of the Nation, to navigate the rush of life by anchoring and guiding creativity and art-design innovations that have been obtained during his studies. “Let’s color the world with the charm of your creative ideas. Since the time after this graduation ceremony, all of you are proud alumni of ISI Denpasar. We will always take care of Bhineka Tunggal Ika in this Greater Indonesia. The pandemic presents new challenges; it takes willingness, awareness, and discipline to stay strong, upright, and get up; healthy while actively innovating creates new works of art and designs that answer imaginations, dreams, and the challenges of life today and in the post-pandemic period,” he explained.
ISI Denpasar in the last six months, explained the Professor of Art History, has innovated the development of the education system, research, and community service by fundamentally revamping the curriculum, namely formulating and enforcing the Independent Learning Curriculum-Independence Campus ISI Denpasar based on the Study Program, with maintain relevance, quality, and competitiveness. The curriculum formulation process involved 60 figures from elements of maestro, artist-designer, professionals, and also higher education experts. In addition to the implementation of the new curriculum, to ensure that educational services to students are running even more excellently, they also simultaneously invite these reputable figures as guest lecturers in 12 Bachelor and D4 Study Programs.
Innovation in the field of Tri Dharma is also supported by strategic efforts in improving systems, developing institutions, strengthening the nomenclature of art and design science, improving the quality of resources, growing an ecosystem of cooperation and partnerships, pioneering patterns of strategic actualization, and planning policy strategies that are pro in the advancement of laboratory infrastructure. , studios, and digital technology devices, both hardware and software. “Meaning the XXVI Bachelor and Postgraduate graduation, as well as efforts to facilitate integrated information services for ISI Denpasar, we launched the Single Sign On (SSO) Nata Kerti (Integrated Information Performance Management Forum) ISI Denpasar,” said Kun Adnyana while adding that all innovations were carried out in order to create a profile graduates from ISI Denpasar who are tough, have Pancasila spirit, dynamic, critical, creative, and innovative in the fields of creation, study, education, presentation, and art-culture-design entrepreneurship.
Bali Sangga Dwipantara and Goenawan Mohamad’s oration
The strengthening of Tri Dharma innovation by ISI Denpasar is also accompanied by strategic actualization in the form of a space for the dissemination of creative works as well as an academic forum for Nusantara arts and culture involving maestros, artists, culturalists, academics, creative workers, and talented Indonesian students, named Bali Sangga Dwipantara. This event is an effort to realize the pride of Bali Campus as the vanguard in upholding the revival and glory of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika Indonesia Raya.
Bali Sangga Dwipantara I, 2021 entitled Wana-Citta-Nuswantara consists of eleven programs: Bali-Dwipantara Widya (Mimbar Talenta Nusantara); Bali-Dwipantara Adirupa (Indonesian Fine Arts Exhibition); Bali-Dwipantara Adinatya (National Virtual Performance); Bali-Dwipantara Kanti (Braya Nusantara Initiative); Bali-Dwipantara Waskita (Seminar of the Republic of the Archipelago Arts); Bali-Dwipantara Krama (Speech Lelaku Archipelago); Bali-Dwipantara Yatra (Nusantara Village Literature); Bali-Dwipantara Diatmika (Mimbar Maestro Nusantara); Bali-Dwipantara Karma (Nemu Bracelet Nusantara); Bali-Dwipantara Bhakti (Umah Bersama Nusantara); Bali-Dwipantara Nata Kerthi Nugraha (Award).
Minister of PAN RB Tjahjo Kumolo when opening Bali Sangga Dwipantara explained that this national festival is really a vehicle for consistently creating and preserving culture, working hard, and working smart, utilizing information technology, and building broad collaboration. The existence of Bali Sangga Dwipantara is also expected to maintain the image of Bali as a cultural center that is admired throughout the world, as well as in accordance with the wishes of the nation’s founders.
The same thing was conveyed by Governor Wayan Koster, the existence of Bali Sangga Dwipantara is in line with the Bali provincial government program and hopes that the Tri Dharma ISI Denpasar activities are not only for internal interests but also develop creative-innovative traditional arts to be presented to the wider community.
Cultural observer Goenawan Mohamad in an oration entitled “Conservation and Production of Novelty” explained that the Indonesian cultural scene is always colored by tension between the attitude of prioritizing “the new” and “the old”. From Bung Karno to Rendra – interpreting the words of the Arena of Trustworthiness – refused to caress the results of the old culture. On the other hand, there is a strong tendency to assert “identity”, and to link “identity” to traditions and historical heritage. Here the “old” has an important and central position. Bali Sangga Dwipantara should be a democratic space to bring together the “old” and the “new”.
At the end of the show, Bali-Dwipantara Bhakti was broadcast in the form of a virtual performance of Umah Bersama Nusantara involving maestro, artists, academics, and creative workers from Aceh, Padang, Jakarta, Solo, and Bali, with directors Made Sidia and Tjokorda Istri Putra Padmini, supported by the following artists: Toha Gusrama, Nungki Kusumastuti, Peni Candra Rini, I Wayan Gulendra, Ni Luh Menek, Ni Ketut Arini Alit, Gusti Bawa Samar Gantang, I Gusti Ngurah Adi Putra, Ni Nyoman Tjandri, AA,. Gde Bagus, A.A. Gde Oka Dalem, Tjokorda Raka Tisnu, Cokorda Alit Artawan, Sulistyani, Tri Hariyanto, Saptono, and Susas Rita Loravianti.
In addition, the Bali-Dwipantara Nata Kerthi Nugraha 2021 award was also awarded to five reputable artists and academics, namely: Tjokorda Istri Rai Partini, Toha Gusrama, Nungki Kusumastuti, I Wayan Gulendra, and Tjokorda Istri Putra Padmini. (BTN/r/bud)
