Indonesian Authors Showcase 2012
Tuesday, 9th October 2012 at Erasmus Taalcentrum, Jakarta
Avianti Armand works as an architect since 1992. Her design, Rumah Kampung, won an award from the Indonesian Association of Architects (Ikatan Arsitek Indonesia) in 2008. Her short story collection, Negeri Para Peri, came out in 2009, and one story ”Pada Suatu Hari Ada Ibu dan Radian” was selected as Kompas Best Short Story in 2009 (Cerpen Terbaik Kompas 2009). Her collection of poems “Perempuan yang Dihapus Namanya” came out in 2010 and went on to win Khatulistiwa Literary Award 2011. She read “Tribut untuk Junya Ishigami” (“Tribute to Junya Ishigami”), inspired by the titular Japanese architect who makes her rethink the meaning of architecture, and “Hawa” (“Eve”), a reimagining of the biblical story from Eve’s perspective.
Kurnia Effendi has published novels and books of poetry, short stories, and essays, among others: Bercinta di Bawah Bulan (2004), Kincir Api (2005, Top 5 candidate for Khatulistiwa Literary Award 2006), Burung Kolibri Merah Dadu (2007), Merjan-Merjan Jiwa (2009), Tukang Bunga & Burung Gagak (2010), Anak Arloji (2011), Mendaras Cahaya (2012). He has read his works at Teater Utan Kayu Biennale Literary Festival (2005), Temu Sastra Kota (2005), Praja Mitra Utama (2008), Ubud Writers & Readers Festival (2010), Bali Emerging Writers (2011). Currently he is the chair of the Association of Short Story Writers (ANITA), also active at Komunitas Sastra Indonesia and Komunitas Sastra Kedailalang. Kurnia Effendi read “Laut Lepas Kita Pergi” (“To Open Seas We Go”), about an Acehnese boy who had to grow up very suddenly after losing all his family in the tsunami.
Lily Yulianti Farid won a national writing competition when she was an eight-grader. She worked as journalist for Kompas before living abroad to work for NHK and ABC. Her published works include Makkunrai (2008), Maiasaura (2008), Family Room ( 2010) and Ayahmu Bulan Engkau Matahari (2012). She is the founder and director of Makassar International Writers Festival.
Guest from the Philippines: Isabela Banzon teaches creative writing and literature at the University of the Philippines. She has participated in international festivals, including the Ubud Readers and Writers Festival in Bali, Indonesia and the Singapore Writers Festival. She has read her poems in various places, such as the Universitat de Barcelona in Spain and the University of Western Australia. Her recent publication includes Lola Coqueta, a poetry collection. She is one of the editors of An Anthology of English Writing from Southeast Asia.
Thursday, 11th October 2012 at HB Jassin Archives, Jakarta
Ayu Utami is the author of Saman (1998) – which won Jakarta Arts Council’s Novel-writing Competition 1998 and Prince Claus Award 2000 – Larung (2000), Bilangan Fu (2008), Manjali dan Cakrabirawa (2010), and Lalita (2012). Her work has been translated into 8 languages. For this occasion, Ayu read an excerpt from Lalita, about an older woman photographer with her much younger male lover.
Zaim Rofiqi is a writer, poet, and translator. He has published a collection of poems Lagu Cinta Para Pendosa (“The Sinners’ Love Song”, Pustaka Alvabet, 2009), and a collection of short stories Matinya Seorang Atheis (“Death of an Atheist”, Penerbit Koekoesan, 2011). Zaim read his short story “Kamar Bunuh Diri” (“The Suicide’s Room”), a variation on a poem by Wislawa Szymborska, “The Suicide’s Room”.
Zeffry Alkatiri was born and raised in Jakarta. His family history – with Arab, Pakistani and Betawi ancestors – reflects the cosmopolitan character of the city of his birth. He studied Russian and American Studies at the Universitas Indonesia in Jakarta. At the moment he teaches at the department of Russian at the Universitas Indonesia. He has published a book of poems Dari Batavia sampai Jakarta, 1619-1999, for which he received the prize for the best Indonesian volume of poetry 1998-2000. Other publications are Manusia, Mitos, dan Mitologi (1998), Pintu, Etalase, Batavia Centrum (collected poems, 1998), and Konflik Nilai dalam Sejarah Perkembangan Sastra Rusia.
