A Moment Of Laughter When Ganjar Pranowo Met Butet Kartaredjasa And Artists In Jogja

Ganjar Pranowo (Photo via Central Java Provincial Government)

YOGYAKARTA - Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo met with artist Butet Kartaredjasa at his residence in Kembaran Tamantirto, Bantul, Yogyakarta. There were also a number of other artists and cultural observers who had gathered beforehand.

Ganjar received a number of prizes from the artists. Starting from Butet's paintings, books, to a modified song from Encik Sri Krishna.

Ganjar said that his meeting with Butet and a number of artists in Yogyakarta was to let go of longing and gojek kere (light joking) or to chat about many things. Especially about the arts and memories when Ganjar was still a student and lived in Yogyakarta.

Besides Butet, there are also Marzuki Kill The DJ, Putu Sutawijaya, Bambang Heras, to Agus Noor, Encik Krishna, and others.

"Art and cultural figures, when they gather there must be crowded. There must be coffee, food, stories are random (many things), gojek kere (joking) because I used to be here for 11 years. I admire them but don't know them. (Butet) a top artist, still top right now, great. In the past, when I saw Butet, he was really cool, at that time when appearing with Gandrik the siblings are crazy, they perform like that, and with his father is awesome too. Now I can visit his place," said Ganjar, Monday, October 17.

Ganjar said, in the meeting, they discussed painting. There are even artists who on the spot draw Ganjar. In addition, several artists also gave books of their own works.

Furthermore, Ganjar also had time to see various collections of paintings at Butet's house. He was then given a new drawing by Butet Kartaredjasa.

A sketch with a symbol of a species or a tiger tied to a rope by someone. According to Butet, the picture has the meaning of "Suppressing the Greed".

"I was given a sketch of a drawing of a tiger controlled by a rope. It means to suppress greed. You know, the artist says something like that, suppresses greed, two words but the meaning is very high. This is what I miss from Yogyakarta because so many symbols and very philosophical signs. So not all of them use logic, but with feeling," he said.

Not only that but in the middle of the conversation, suddenly Encik Sri Krishna was requested to sing the song Celeng Degleng.

This song went viral a few years ago. However, this time the lyrics of the song were changed by Encik to make Ganjar and the artists laugh out loud.

Hearing the song composed by Encik spontaneously, everyone laughed, including Ganjar. However, after that, Ganjar asked Encik to stop singing because he predicted that the longer it would go on, the more inconsequential it would be.

"This old lady, if we didn't hire her, it would be difficult. Then, for decades I never met her, then I met her. The concert at that time was Celeng Degleng, it was already a concert. A few years later Celeng was popular again, here's the person. That's all. Then the artist said, banteng siji banteng kabeh," said Ganjar.

Butet Kartaredjasa said the meeting between Ganjar and the artists at his house was all full of jokes. Because at that time all the artists and activists were gathered at his house. Ganjar also came to visit and try the food from Butet's wife.

"Full gojek. We are joking because all fellow artists and activists here are gathered. Everyone knows Mr. Ganjar personally. So all of them here are 98's activists, so they know him very well when they were students. Pure for joking, he wants to visit because he knows my wife's cooking is delicious. Just for joking, mainly for gojek kere," he said.