THE LONTAR FOUNDATION
We are an independent, not-for-profit organization based in Jakarta, Indonesia,
promoting Indonesian literature and culture through the translation of its literary works
Against the Grain
By Suwarsih Djojopuspito
Translated by George A. Fowler
The Mystical Path of Badrul Mustafa
By Heru Joni Putra
Translated by George A. Fowler
The Lontar Anthology of Indonesian Drama
Vol. 1 Plays for the Popular Stage (1890-1960)
IN MEMORIAM
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Charles “Larry” Lawson Reed III on January 30, 2026, at his home in San Francisco. Larry was the director of ShadowLight Productions, which he founded in 1972. Through ShadowLight he pioneered a unique fusion of traditional Balinese shadow theater and contemporary stagecraft. A director, filmmaker, teacher, and shadow master, he devoted his life to storytelling across cultures, collaborating with artists worldwide and expanding the possibilities of shadow theater.
Larry’s artistic journey began in childhood and continued through Pomfret School, Yale, and the U.S. Peace Corps Theater Program in Costa Rica. He earned his MFA in film at the San Francisco Art Institute and performed with Anna Halprin’s Dancers’ Workshop.
A transformative encounter with wayang shadow theater in Bali in 1970 led to fifteen years of study with master dalang I Nyoman Rajeg, shaping his lifelong dedication to the art.
Through ShadowLight, Larry brought wayang to U.S. audiences and later developed cinematic shadow theater, combining puppetry, masks, lighting, and filmic techniques.
Generous, funny, and deeply curious, Larry loved languages, cooking, and music. He transformed the lives of countless artists and students, leaving a legacy that continues through ShadowLight’s community and education programs.
FEATURED TRANSLATOR
Marjie Suanda is originally from the United States, but came to Indonesia in 1976 with a scholarship to study traditional Javanese dance. Just a month into her studies she met her future husband, ethnomusicologist Endo Suanda. The plan to study for one year turned into three and now a 50-year connection to Indonesian arts and culture.
During the time period 1987–1991, Marjie, with Endo and their two sons, lived in Seattle where she studied at the University of Washington, earning a Master’s degree in TESOL (teaching English as a second language). There, too, she taught English and designed curricula for a number of refugee groups at a community college and a women’s center.
Moving back to Indonesia in 1991, Marjie first began to teach and test English and then began to take on translation work as well, initially essays by Bandung artists and curators. Thereafter, she moved on to translating a wide variety of Indonesian texts from short stories, poetry, biographies and other non-fiction.
For a period of time she translated for Tempo English, and then for Lontar as well, including collections of stories by Avianti Armand, Cok Sawitri, and Zen Hae; essays by Hasif Amini; and, finally, excerpts from the novel, Arrived Before Departing (Tiba Sebelum Berangkat) by Faisal Oddang.
Her most recent projects include curatorial essays for a book on Ahmad Sadali and a book about wayang.
“The Smiling Semar from America” (Semar Mesem dari Amerika) is a documentary film devoted to the life of Gregory John Churchill (1947-2022) and his love of Indonesian puppets. During his decades in Indonesia he collected more than 8,000 puppets from around Indonesia and other parts of the world.
The film was produced by the Lontar Foundation under the supervision of John H. McGlynn and directed by Eva Tobing.
Novel Against the Grain karya Suwarsih Djojopuspito bukan hanya berbicara tentang dunia pergerakan, tetapi juga kehidupan rumah tangga kaum pergerakan, tarik-menarik antara dunia privat dan publik di masa yang penuh gejolak. Novel ini boleh disebut sebagai novel feminis pertama dalam sastra Indonesia.
Mari bergabung dalam peluncuran dan diskusi “Perempuan dan Pergerakan”.
Jumat, 23 Agustus 2024
19.00 WIB
Komunitas Utan Kayu
Jalan Utan Kayu Raya 68H,
Matraman, Jakarta Timur
Pembicara:
Dewi Widyastuti
Isyana Artharini
Moderator:
Dhianita Kusuma Pertiwi
Registrasi:
bit.ly/Against_The_Grain
Acara ini terbuka untuk umum, tempat terbatas, gratis dengan pendaftaran.
Terselenggara atas kerja sama Yayasan Lontar dan Komunitas Utan Kayu.
Didukung oleh Dana Indonesiana – Kemendikbudristek – LPDP
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