PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION

The exhibition focuses on two types of pencak silat martial arts practiced in the Minangkabau region (West Sumatra): ulu ambek and silat galombang.

In the Minangkabau language, pauleh means a connector, link, or place. It also refers to a woven bamboo mat that serves as the stage for ulu ambek performances. In ulu ambek, the performers rarely touch one another. Instead, they showcase attack and defense techniques from a distance. It is a sophisticated art form that also incorporates ritualistic greetings between the audience and the performers.

The second type of pencak silat is silat galombang, performed to honor guests during various celebrations. In these events, two groups of martial artists appear—one representing the host and the other the guest. They attack and evade each other while maintaining distance, and when they approach, they are stopped by a person carrying a vessel containing sirih—a traditional stimulant symbolizing hospitality.

Pencak silat is a symbol of Minangkabau culture, whose core values are social relationships and brotherhood. In 2019, it was inscribed on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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Edy Utama was born in Lubuk Sikaping, West Sumatra, in 1959. He studied cinematography at the Jakarta Institute of Arts (LPKJ-IKJ, 1979–1981). A promoter of Minangkabau culture, he is also a writer, performing artist, festival curator, and photographer. His contributions have earned him awards from the Governor of West Sumatra, the Mayor of Padang, and the Agency for the Development of Pancasila Ideology. His photographs have been exhibited in Indonesia, Germany, Japan, and Hawaii.

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