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Camping Art 2011 was an event celebrating friendship, talents and building networks. In the midst of the beauty and impressive surroundings of Pegadung Beach, the participants looked for similarities rather than differences amongst their different cultural backgrounds.

The Camping Art 2011 event was organised by Lampung Arts Council (Dewan Kesenian Lampung or DKL) and the Lampung Arts Community (Kommunitas Perupa Lampung). Scores of artists joined the event held on Pegadung Beach, Susuk Village, Kelumbayan District in Tanggamus Regency.

Artists from Germany and Yogyakarta taking part in the road show and artist talk programme “Crossing Signs Project” also took part in this event. The German artists that took part in the event were Paul Pretzer, Ulrike Stolte, Yasmin Alt, Tilman Hornig, Fee Vogler, Franziska Fennet, and Cosima Tribukeit. Apart from them, curator Noor Veiga from Spain came along, acting as spokesperson for this team.

The artists from Yogyakarta were Deni Rahman, Rifki Sukma, Lashita Situmorang, Sigit, Indra Dodi, Lenny Ratnasari Weichert, and I Made Aswino Aji. Also taking part were the Tribal Motor Club, Rapi, the Indonesian Tourist Guide Association, the Unit for Art Student’s Activities from Lampung University and a Photography Club.

On Monday morning, the 4th of April, the Taman Budaya Lampung (Culture Hall) hosted a welcome for the artists from the Crossing Signs Project. According to the head of the Lampung Arts Council, Syafriah Wididianti, Camping Art 2011 is a new direction for the arts council. The event is held alongside the road show for the 7 German and Yogyakartan artists.

After the welcome reception, the event was continued with a presentation and artist talk from the artists of the Crossing Signs Project in the exhibition room of the Taman Budaya Lampung. On this occasion, Lampung artists got the opportunity to show off their skill, presenting local wisdom in painting using coffee grains as material. It should be noted here that Lampung is one of the biggest exporters of coffee in Indonesia.

According to the chairman of the arts committee, Salvator Yen Joenaidi, this activity is intended as increasing ties and networking amongst artists, exploring the beauty of Lampung, as well as increasing the appreciation of art and injecting new energy into the art scene. “Camping art is a new direction for the Lampung Arts Council for the 2010-2014 period,” explains Salvator Yen Junaidi.

This event introduced German and Yogyakartan artists to one of the amazing views in Lampung; Pegadung Beach which can be find in Tanggamus area. “Artists will help develop tourism in Lampung. So when they return to their hometowns, they won’t be telling stories of Jakarta, Yogyakarta, or Bandung, but of the beauty of Lampung. Their art will help tell the story, too,” comments Yen.

Syafriah Widianti, head of DKL says that it is hoped that Camping Art 2011 will encourage networking between the artists of Lampung and introducing the beauty of Lampung to the world through art. “This is a brilliant opportunity forus to build up international networks. Hopefully we will be able to share our experiences with the German and Yogyakartan artists. At another time, this could be continued by artists from other areas and countries too,” added the head of DKL, known amongst friends as Atu Ayi, in her welcoming speech read by Hari Jayaningrat the Managing Director of DKL.

Towards the Location
After lunch and a short briefing, the organizers and entourage travelled towards the art camp at Pegadung Beach. Led by Dana E Rachmat from Tribal, who is also part of the Arts Council, we left the Lampung Culture Hall in Bandar Lampung at 1pm. With his trail motorbike, Dana opened up the roads for us. Some went by car, but many went by motorbike towards the event location.

We travelled to the location in an Avanza with the documentation team consisting of Pakde Imam Soepardan (videographer), Bambang Suroboyo (photographer) and Hari Jayaningrat, Managing Director of DKL. Only half a kilometer in, Hari’s mobile phone began ringing. It seems that the General Secretary of DKL, Sapto, and the group of German and Yogyakartan artists had been left behind. Hari then took the initiative of calling Dana, but Dana’s phone wouldn’t ring, so the only other alternative was to chase Dana. Hari, driving the Avanza, sped up. Finally Dana caught up and gave the sign to stop. Dana asked us to go back to pick up Sapto’s group and the others.

We continued to travel together. I smiled to myself, thinking of the food prepared by Hari for this trip. In the back, which had been purposely set without chairs, it was full to the brim with all sorts including cushions, a gas stove and other cooking implements. Meanwhile, for the trip, each of us received a thermos of tea or coffee. I glanced to the back where various snacks and drinks were arranged. That must have been why Hari only told me to bring myself and enough time to take part in this activity.

Raindrops accompanied us, as we began to speed up after passing the Lempasing Beach area. After Bandar Lampung, we entered Pesawaran Regency. On our left, beach tourism has begun to develop all along the coastal areas from Mutun Beach through Bensor, Ringgung to Klara (Kelapa Rapat) Beach.

Apart from that, this area is famous for traditional prawn farming, pearl oyster businesses and fish farms too. Meanwhile, on the right we could see the green of the Wan Abdul Rachman National Park. It was still raining when we entered the West Marine Armada Base in Piabung. This strategic area forms one of the biggest marine base in western Indonesia.

After passing the base, the road that had been quite smooth up till that point began to have bumps and potholes here and there. Fortunately, Hari was able to avoid the potholes filled with water. Poor road infrastructure in Lampung is one of the factors that reduce its potential as a tourist destination.

Luckily, the view to our left and right wasn’t boring, with the paddy fields, cocoa plantations and traditional Lampung houses on stilts with their impressive, exotic and varied designs. The heritage village could still be seen standing. At Pekon Bawang, we stopped at a bakso (meatball) stand while waiting for the other group. Hari and I finished off a bowl of bakso to get rid of the hungry feeling spreading through our bodies. In the meantime, Bambang and Pakde Imam stopped for a smoke.

After Pekon Bawang, the road got worse and much steeper. The group climbed slowly upwards. Suddenly at a great height, an impressive view came into view. Julius and others forming the motorbike convoy were already taking pictures with Kilau Bay, famous for its dolphins, in the background. Our group and the group of Germans and Yogyakartans didn’t want to miss out and began to pose against the backdrop of Kilauan Bay. “Wonderful beach. This is hidden paradise,” breathed Francisca, beaming.

Pegadung, We’re Coming!
In the Kebumbayan District, the road began to get increasingly worse. We even had to cross a river without a bridge. Yen Joenaidi and some other friends going by motorbike even nearly slipped over in the river. After passing an umbul (a group of farmer’s houses), we arrived at the location.

Around dusk, a number of youths from Pekon Susuk were waiting to greet us. The group immediately heads to the road that has been opened. At the location, it appears that marine barracks complete with military velbeds (a folding bed) had been prepared for us.

After the organizers had allocated tents for the groups, we were free to rest. Some friends went to look for somewhere to bathe themselves. Some of them went to the beach for hunting photos. After dusk, by the light of the Petromax pressure lanterns, the village head, Abdul Rachman, came to the tent to introduce himself and welcome us.

After eating the nasi bungkus (rice dishes wrapped in banana leaves) we each lay down in the velbeds. That night, there was no official agenda. Some of the participants chat, exchanging stories, with the crash of the waves and the sound of the insects at night becoming nature’s lullaby.

The next morning, with the sun only just rising, some of the members went for runs on the beach, enjoying the sound of the waves and the beauty of the reaches of Pegadung Beach. Pegadung Beach was still a virgin beach, until the road access was built by local inhabitants and marines due to the Camping Art 2011 event. That morning, while enjoying the warmth of the sun, some of our friends from Germany went swimming, or just enjoyed themselves on the beach. Others continued to sleep soundly, due to fatigue.

Hari, Arman and Buyung made breakfast. The portable gas stove was lit. The breakfast menu that morning was tempe, tofu, fried chicken, omelettes and corned beef. Apart from that there was bread too. The breakfast was delicious. Lots of our friends came to join us including the German and Yogyakartan participants, as their nasi bungkus were somewhat late.

After tidying up, the next activity was to be painting on the beach. Many locals join us for the Camping Art 2011 event. Some had taken the opportunity to sell durians, young coconuts, snacks, berunang (bamboo baskets), and hats made of pandan leaves. Pegadung Beach had become a market.

Hari, Buyung and I didn’t want to be last in grabbing a canvas and paint. Like a professional painter, I immediately began to paint. Local villagers surrounded us, encouraging us to fram Pegadung Beach on canvas.

It seemed like no time had passed, as my stomach was again beginning to rumble, in fact it was past midday. We decided to return to the tents, where Hari, Arman, Buyung and I began cooking lunch. A number of participants ended up joining us for food or just a cup of coffee due to our complete facilities. After lunch we packed up to go home.

Good bye, Pegadung! We will frame our beautiful memories of you. And we will tell of your beautiful beach and the friendliness of the people of your pekon.