Gamelan: Can a Conservation-Conceived Protocol Protect it Spiritually and Physically in a Museum?

Jones-Amin, Holly; Tan, Heidi; Tee, Alvin

Abstract

The Javanese revere the gamelan (an orchestra played in Indonesia) for its spiritual power; can the museum uphold these beliefs? Such beliefs govern making, cleaning, moving, repairing and playing the instruments. When a western conservator and Singaporean curatorial staff learnt to play the gamelan, studied its manufacture and interviewed its makers in Indonesia, a profound shift in understanding of the role underpinning the materials and spiritual beliefs occurred. In response, a protocol and maintenance plan were developed for the gamelan to accommodate its installation and use in the Southeast Asian Performing Arts Gallery at the Asian Civilisation Museum (ACM) in Singapore. The protocol addresses both conservation aims and rules of use, in addition to the observation of Javanese beliefs. Since its instigation, it has been used to guide maintenance, musician use, tuning and documentation. The protocol poses philosophical questions concerning Javanese cultural beliefs and how to observe them in a museum context. In light of this protocol, this paper asks; how do we respect these beliefs and determine what level of intervention is appropriate

Citation

Jones-Amin, H., Tan, H., & Tee, A. (2006). Gamelan: Can a Conservation-Conceived Protocol Protect it Spiritually and Physically in a Museum?. Studies in Conservation, 51(2), 138-143. https://doi.org/10.1179/sic.2006.51.Supplement-2.138

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 28, 2006
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2006
• Deposit Date: Feb 25, 2023
• Journal: Studies in Conservation
• Print ISSN: 0039-3630
• Electronic ISSN: 2047-0584
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 51
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 138-143
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1179/sic.2006.51.Supplement-2.138
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/sic.2006.51.Supplement-2.138