AURELIA SISKA: 2017

Museum MACAN (Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara) was recently opened on November 4th, 2017 in Jakarta and claimed to be the first museum of its kind in Indonesia that providing collection of modern and contemporary art from Indonesia, Europe, America, and Asia.

Last week, we paid a visit to this Museum MACAN that located at Wisma AKR Gallery West Building 5th floor. They opened from Tuesday - Sunday (10.00 am - 7.00 pm) and closed on Monday. The exhibit title is ART TURNS, WORLD TURNS.

At 4000 square meters facility, you can enjoy showcasing almost 90 artworks here, from Indonesian and International artists. They divided the area into four categories:

Land, Home, People (Bumi, Kampung halaman, Manusia),

Independence and After (Kemerdekaan dan Setelahnya),

Struggles Around Forms and Content (Pergulatan Seputar Bentuk dan Isi),

Global Soup (Racikan Global).

How to buy the ticket?

You can purchased the ticket on the spot or you can buy it online here. If you buy it online you can choose freely what date and time you will come. You must come to the museum at the time you choose or else your ticket will be no longer valid. Example, if you choose the time 10.00-12.00 you must enter the museum between that time.

But if you buy the ticket on the spot, you can purchased the ticket only for that day.

Adult - IDR 50k

Elder - IDR 40k

Children - IDR 30k

Best time to visit?

I strongly recommend around morning time (10.00-12.00) is the best time to enter this museum because of less crowded. Other than that weekdays will be a better choice than weekend. But if you are going on weekend please be there as early as you can to avoid the crowded.

The Infinity Room Rules

After you enter the museum, actually there's no limitation of time you're inside. BUT there's a limitation time for entering the Infinity Mirrored Room. They only allowed us inside the room for 45 seconds. The time inside may be vary due to the queue lines outside. They may reduce the time if the queue is too long.
Maximum person to get inside is only 2 persons.
The room actually not big enough and surrounded by water so you have to watch your step carefully and stand before the yellow circle.
Camera and DSLR is allowed, but we can't use the FLASHLIGHT in the area.
The infinity mirrored room will be closed at 5.00 pm so you better get there at minimum 2 hours before the closing time in case the queue is long.

Here's several snapshot of the artworks in Museum MACAN. Let's do the Museum tour!

Bung Karno Amidst The Revolutionary War (1966) by Dullah (Indonesia)

Beetle Sphere (2013) by Ichwan Noor (Indonesia)

Juling / Cross eyed (2005) by I Nyoman Masriadi (Indonesia)

Sofa (2005) by I Nyoman Masriadi (Indonesia)

Global Soup (Racikan Global)

Andy Warhol (2002) by Wang Guangyi (China)

Ascending (2002) by Cai Guo-Qiang (China)

I Do Not Rule My Dreams, My Dreams Rule Me (2010) by Takashi Murakami (Japan)

Kaikai and Kiki (2000) by Takashi Murakami (Japan)

The most favorite artworks that become major photospot in this Museum, none other than Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Room. This become the must visited place for everyone that come to the museum. They are willing to queue for hours just for spend around seconds in this room.

Yayoi Kusama transform the dark room using mirrors and lights that reflected on every surface in the room creating an interior space that create an illusion of infinity space.

The Infinity Mirror Room
Brilliance of The Soul (2014) BY YAYOI KUSAMA (Japan)

After the exit, there is small shop sells kind of merchandises, such as shirt, handbag, books, and some artworks.

We spent around 1.5 hours enjoyed our time at the museum after all. Lucky us there's no queue in the ticket booth nor to enter the Infinity Room. So I decided to take 3 times for the Infinity Room. After sight-seeing at the museum, you can also enjoy a cup of coffee and snacks right after the ticket booth by 1/15 coffee.

Thanks for reading and hopefully this post will give useful information for everyone who wants to go to the Museum MACAN. You still have plenty of time, because this exhibition will last until March 18th, 2018.

As long weekend approaching sometimes I want to get a short trip. Bandung always become one of the options since the distance is quite near from Jakarta, around 3 hours driving by car. Other option to go to Bandung is by train.

Couple weeks ago finally me and husband decided to had a short trip to Bandung for 3 days 2 nights. We picked Intercontinental Hotel at Dago Pakar Resort Area instead of Bandung City Area. We picked this place because we want to mostly spend our time up

The Lodge Maribaya

As a famous place for it's nature in Lembang is The Lodge Maribaya. Many activities can be done there like camping, team building, trekking activities, etc and surround by beautiful pine forest. Not only that, this place also offered you with many exciting attractions, such as : Sky Tree, Bamboo Sky, Zip Bike, Air Balloon, and Mountain Swing.

For admission fee, you have to pay IDR 20.000 (weekdays) and IDR 25.000 (weekend).
Admission fee for the attractions slightly different between IDR 15.000 - IDR 20.000 per turn.
For good pictures you can also hired the local photographer there with pay IDR 10.000/photo.

Here several attractions that we tried.

Floating Market Lembang

Another place to visit in Lembang is Floating Market. Located in Grand Hotel No. 33 E Lembang open everyday. Admission fee : IDR 15.000/ person and IDR 5.000 for four wheeled vehicles. Ticket that already purchased later can be exchanged for drink provided at the main entrance.

This place is so huge that have many exciting places. You can see all the open area on this sign-age when enter the floating market. We decided to went for Rainbow Garden and Kota Mini instead.

Rainbow garden is known for it's park full of varieties of flowers that offers breath-taking view and backdrops for your photos. To go inside we have to pay admission fee IDR 10.000/person. Beside the flower parks, you can also view other plants such as cactus and greens.

Other than rainbow Garden, there's also Kota Mini. This spot is perfect for kids to help them learning about job or profession. This place is full of row minimalist shaped building, such as police station, salon, fire-fighters station, hospital, market, etc. For the entrance fee, IDR 15.000/person on weekdays, and IDR 20.000/person on weekend. To try every spot with costume, there will be an additional charge depends on how many spot you enter.

Kawah Putih

Famous known as one of tourist spot, Kawah putih located at Ciwidey, near mountain area. This place formed by the eruption of Gunung Patuha. As the name implies, the land in this area is white due to the mixing of sulfur elements. In addition to the white soil, the lake water Kawah Putih area also has a whiteish-green color and can change color according to sulfur content, temperature, and weather.

Because the location is nearly the mountain area, the temperature is quite cold between 8-22 Celsius degree. It's better bring your light jacket and maybe mask to protect your from the smell of sulfur.

Kawah Putih can be reached by car, motorcycle, and bus. They offer two place for parking lot, at the entrance of kawah Putih (upstairs) and down below the entrance (downstairs). The price is different for both parking lot. If you want the cheaper price, better park your car at downstairs and you can go upstairs riding ontang-anting provided there. It's around 10 minutes riding to get to the main entrance. Fee entrance for both weekdays and weekend is IDR 15.000/person

Car (upstairs) : IDR 150.000
Motorcycle (upstairs) : IDR 35.000
Ontang-anting : IDR 13.000
Car (downstairs) : IDR 6.000
Motorcycle (downstairs): IDR 5.000
Bus (downstairs) : IDR 25.000

Several place we visited for lunch and dinner. All places have their uniqueness, so far we love the food and the ambience they offer.

La Costilla

New spot in Bandung, a cute cafe with this iconic pink cactus wall that very insta-worth for taking pictures. Located at Karangsari, a step away from Jalan Setiabudi. They offer an affordable casual dining, combination of modern Western food with Spanish twist flavour.

Their specialty in baby back ribs, so we ordered one and the taste is da bomb, with their sweet spicy BBQ sauce. The problem is just the ribs still have too many small and fine bones stick to the ribs.
We also ordered the aromatic tenderloin and baked potato soup. Both of them are superb.

Jl. Karangsari No.8, Pasteur, Sukajadi, Kota Bandung, Jawa Barat 40161, Indonesia
Opneing hours : 8.00 AM - 10.30 PM

Please Please Please

Another cute newly opened place in Bandung. Dominated with white, pink, and light green colour that really perfect for background of your photo. They have downstairs and upstairs, you can choose wherever you like to be seated. For outdoor area, there's backyard and small place in front of the entrace. Menu in here dominated with western menu. Because we're not really hungry, we only order their dessert, molten lava cake. They served it nicely and the chocolate filling totally melted. Love it. Maybe next I should try their main course.

Jalan Progo No.37, Citarum, Bandung Wetan, Citarum, Bandung Wetan,
Kota Bandung, Jawa Barat 40115, Indonesia
Opening hours : 7.00 AM - 10.00 PM

KenKen Bigul Kitchen

For pork lovers in Bandung, you might know this place. Yes it's KenKen Bigul kitchen. The place filled with cute posters about porks, and they served many choice of pork dishes in western and Indonesian style, you choose. But they're famous for it's suckling pork of course.

Everytime we came to Bandung, we absolutely will go to this place. As their flavour and taste is very fit with our appetite. We ordered Nasi Bigul Special and Nasi Bagor with additional Sate Samchan as always.

Their spicy is very unique almost same with Balinese' suckling pig. The sambal matah is also my favorite, it's very spicy but in a good way.

Overall, if you're a big fan of pork dishes, KenKen Bigul will be a nice option to try. Satisfying food with very reasonable price.

Jl. Dr. Rajiman No.17, Pasir Kaliki, Cicendo, Kota Bandung, Jawa Barat 40171, Indonesia
Opening hours : 9.00 AM - 10.00 PM

The Valley Bistro Cafe

This place is known for their breath-taking view at night. That's why we decided to went here for dinner when the place is at it's best. The restaurant here actually a part of a resort. Located in upper hills of Dago they offer a serene and beautiful city of Bandung.

The food actually very nice, we order the steak combo platter even though the price is a little bit expensive here. But if you want to feels romantic dinner with the sight-seeing of Bandung city at night this is the perfect spot.

Jl. Lembah Pakar Timur No. 28%2C Dago Pakar Ciburial Cimenyan Bandung Jawa Barat, 40198, Indonesia
Opening hours : 11.00 AM - 11.00 PM

Congo Cafe

Famous for it's solid wood gallery and cafe, we tried to had our early dinner here. The concept was design so fascinating that feels like we're in the middle of jungle, full of trees.

There's two separated building for people to choose, indoor and outdoor. We picked the outdoor place, viewing to their another indoor building. The weather is quite windy so if you're planning to sit outdoor it's better to bring light jacket here. Other than that two building, they also have one place for the wood gallery that you can visit.