%0 Journal Article
%T Indonesia¡¯s Jemek Supardi: From pickpocket to mime artist
%A Marshall Clark
%J Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde
%D 2011
%I Brill
%X Indonesia¡¯s leading mime artist, Jemek Supardi, is a former pickpocket and grave-digger. Based in the key centre of Indonesian performative arts, the city of Yogyakarta, Central Java, Jemek is an active member of several artistic troupes and he is a collaborator, friend and acquaintance of many within the closely-knit arts-scene, which in terms of diversity and sheer volume of performances, is unique in Indonesia. Although mime is a niche art-form in Indonesia, Jemek¡¯s self-taught skill as a pantomime artist is clearly evident and his reputation as a professional is second-to-none, particularly in Yogyakarta. This article examines key elements of Jemek¡¯s performative milieu, including his use of mime and silence as a mode of cultural and political expression and his use of white face-paint as an expression of solidarity with the Javanese proletariat. The link between the personal and political elements of Jemek¡¯s artistic practice will also be examined, simultaneously highlighting the difficulty of applying any particular theoretical template onto his life and art.
%K Indonesian performing arts
%K theatre
%K pantomime
%K wayang
%U http://www.kitlv-journals.nl/index.php/btlv/article/view/7902