Organizer: Council on Southeast Asia Studies, Yale University

Description:

The wayang kulit, a renowned cultural form throughout Indonesia, is well-known for its complexity: a lamp projects the shadows of puppets, brought to life by a puppeteer (dalang), on a large white cloth screen, in front of which the audience understands the performance. Behind the screen is a complete gamelan ensemble composed of musicians and singers, adding another layer of experiential complexity to the performance. It brings together visual art (the carving and manipulation of these puppet figures), vocal finesse (the performance of different voices), and instrumental music (the accompaniment of the gamelan ensemble); it bridges the mediums of music, dance, literature, theater, as well as religious and ritual practices. An assemblage of moving parts, the wayang kulit is perhaps inseparable from its performative complexity: different perspectives, movements, symbolism, and elements all come together-occasionally in harmony and otherwise in dissonance-contributing to a sense of semantic depth and richness.

Schedule:

Day 1: Friday, September 23, 2022
7:00 p.m. – 8:40 p.m. EDT      Opening: Welcome, Keynote, & Performance:
8:45 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. EDT    Sessions

Day 2: Saturday, September 24, 2022
7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. EDT       Sessions
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. EDT     Sessions

Day 3: Sunday, September 25, 2022
7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. EDT       Sessions
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. EDT     Sessions
10:40 a.m.. – 11:00 a.m. EDT  Closing

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