Distinction of Monumental Value Achievement in Two Appearances of the National Monument Jakarta

Abstract

In the wake of the era of democracy, transformation and expansion of the role of various monuments and monumental spaces are inevitable.  Urban society's demand for open public spaces to accommodate their needs and aspirations has encouraged transformation and expansion of the role of the facility. The spirit was represented when a folk festival celebrating the anniversary of Jakarta took place, which utilized the open space around the National Monument (Monumen Nasional, abbreviated as Monas) as the location of the dance musical "Ariah". The performance demonstrated the utilization of open space around Monas in accommodating a special event as such and, at the same time, utilized the monument as an integral element of the performance. From the perspective of visual studies, the utilization of the National Monument as a central figure in the performance, in contrast to its mere presence as a monument, a city park, and national museum, raises an issue in terms of monumentality. Based on the principal understanding of monumental values and their indicators, through a comparative observation, it can be suggested that behind the transformation of the aesthetic manifestation of Monas, in the context of the dance musical, there are some distinctions and similarities in terms of monumental value achievement.  On one hand, there is continuity in that some monumental values remain unchanged. On the other hand, some values are transformed, enhanced, diminished, and even removed.

Keywords: :monumentality, Monas, ‘Ariah’