Amsterdam view from Amsterdam Tower

Amsterdam view from Amsterdam Tower
The view from Amsterdam Tower

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Indonesia and Art Basel Hong Kong

There's nothing more exciting than to see the art works of Indonesian artists at the recent Art Basel.

Entering the 3/F Exhibition Hall and voila, we could see the colorful works of Eko Nugroho. It is so eye catching and couldn't be missed! Every visitors want to take pics there!

Eko Nugroho, he also designed scarf for Louis Vuitton
Eko Nugroho, an artist from Yogyakarta, Indonesia
His works are full of political messages. One of them is saying 'permen dan politik sama2 mengandung pemanis buatan' which literally means 'sweets and politics are both containing the artificial sweeteners'.

Eko Nugroho went to Indonesian Art institute, Yogyakarta

Eko Nugroho's studio is in Bantul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
 
Selfie @ Eko Nugroho's booth, Art Basel, HK
Check Eko Nugroho's website for more information: Eko Nugroho
 
Other Indonesian artist at the Art Basel is Agus Suwage, an important contemporary artist who was born 1959 in Purworejo, Java, Indonesia.

By Agus Suwage
His masterpiece above has been stickered on Sunday, (day 2 of the exhibition), which means: it's sold! Find him on Facebook Agus Suwage.

By Eddie Hara, it's about Hong Kong
That is Eddie Hara's art work. Indonesian artist who is currently living in Switzerland.

Sukses terus ya seniman2 Indonesia! Damn, I Love Indonesia!

Art Basel, Hong Kong


This art exhibition has just finished a couple of days ago. This isn't just an art exhibition, but it is "The" Art Exhibition that everyone must go. I read somewhere that Art Basel attracts attention of many famous celebrities.


It was started in Basel and later in Miami and Hong Kong. The similarity of those cities? One person told me that's where many 'the have' people live, or perhaps some of them pretend to be 'the have'...



We don't have to be collector to visit this exhibition, anyone who is somehow into the art can go as long as they have ticket. If we buy it ahead of enough time, the online ticketing agent had special price of paying one ticket to get two.



Hong Kong is always crowded on Sunday..., with or without Art Basel. Going there on Sunday was a bit of a challenge. As an anticipation to the crowd, I bought and collected the tickets a few days before the day. Being there when the exhibition just opened at 12 noon was a good idea, as it's got busier later in the afternoon.


Walking around the exhibition hall was another challenge... once in a few steps I had to stop as the person in front of me stopped to take pic of the paintings, or the sculptures, or even to do selfie! Well I don't deny that I also stopped, but I did it carefully without bothering the others (I hope)...


Once entering the Hall in the ground floor, be careful to enter the regular entrance instead of VIP entrance -:), a couple of bartender pushing fancy trolley offering Champagne to the guests (with an exchange of HK$ for sure), and don't worry of getting thirsty or hungry as there are two coffee corners at the back of the Hall...


 

It is almost everyone visiting this Art exhibition bring either camera (regular camera, sophisticated ones), tablets or smartphones... click... sorry..., click smartphone here, click DSLR camera there, click...

Saturday, March 14, 2015

New Indonesian restaurant in Hong Kong, Causeway Bay "Kampoeng"

Fried pigeon with steamed rice
I have not written for awhile, there is no excuse. What have I been doing then? Socializing I should say, meeting up with friends, eating here and there. The good thing is that I find more interesting places around Hong Kong.

Wiskul or Wisata Kuliner or Culinary Trip in English. That's what I always do with the ladies. We go to one place and another. Our favorite is to find new Indonesian restaurant or warung (warung means small restaurant). Some of my friends, even though they have been living overseas for years, still is still craving for Indonesian food.

Voila, there is a new restaurant in Sugar Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

Kampoeng is actually the old Indonesian written word for Kampung, which means small village. This place was just opened around Christmas last year (2014).


Sugar Street is really the center of Indonesian culinary in Causeway Bay. That's where the Indonesian Consulate is situated. Victoria Park is where the Indonesian Migrant Workers enjoying their day off on Sunday. Please try to avoid the crowd there, it's just too hectic.


The owner of Kampoeng also owns some Indonesian supermarkets and other warung serving Indonesian food. However this restaurant is better quality, in terms of better food and place. It is more spacey, nicer decoration, better quality of food and of course it is slightly more expensive comparing to other Indonesian small restaurants in the neighborhood - but it is worth the money.


Some yummy food that my friends and I had are the following.

Grilled fried fish with steamed rice

Chicken satay with lontong (rice)

Beef oxtail soup with rice
 
"Ayam Penyet" (fried chicken) with steamed rice & spice sambal (chili)


Dessert: Es Campur Kampoeng
Selamat makan! Bon appetit!

ps.: Try to come during working days (avoid weekend as Sugar Street is very crowded).