Launching Jakarta Portrait Book, Anies Appreciates Photography Amid Pandemic

With this book, we can see the experience and feel what is in the recorded event

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, launched the 2000 Jakarta Portrait book, Collaboration Against Pandemic, virtually yesterday (1/30). The book is a collaboration of 73 photo content creators in the capital, which documented the pandemic response actions by all elements of society during 2020.

In his speech, he appreciated the book, which was expected to give benefits and inspiration to readers regarding the handling of the COVID pandemic, despite he did not see directly the conditions in the field.

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"With this book, we can see the experience and feel what is in the recorded event. Amid the pandemic, you can realize that many aspects of life are created. This is a collection of documentation that our children and grandchildren read will be extraordinary. There were many pandemic events before the coronavirus such as flu spanyol, but it still lacks comprehensive information, narrative and documentation," the Governor expressed, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release, Saturday (1/30).

He assessed the book was extraordinary, as it could serve as an archive for future generations.

"For instance, look at the photo from Mr. Rifki Widiyanto, the photo is simple, namely the photo of Wisma Atlet Building, surely it will be empty if there is no a story. But it says here is a place to accommodate COVID patients in ASEAN. The image of this building won't be timeless, as it is a place where many survivors have gathered. So it has the potential to be well managed if you want to travel history related to COVID in the future. Indeed, this is not just a building, but part of our history in fighting the outbreak," he explained.

He also appreciated one of the creators, Yusie Meiti, through her work in depicting Jalan Sudirman which was silent during the pandemic. It was because the public did not easily find ways to use the public area as a work at the right moment.

"These are beautiful images with lots of stories to tell, so they are not just photos as every photo is our chance to interact. In future, Jakarta definitely supports it, this is how we compile history in the form of images and narratives thus it gives our minds to understand according to their respective perceptions," he added.

In the book, there were 200 photographs that record various aspects of life in Jakarta during the pandemic. Starting from the city atmosphere, community activities, the atmosphere of hospital care, public transportation to funerals with the COVID-19 protocol. According to Meiti, curator of photos in this book, these portraits were taken from last year March to December.

On the opening page, the book is presented by content creators in Jakarta to all health professionals who work side by side against the virus and to all people who are disciplined in implementing health protocols. Hopefully Jakarta will recover soon!

Therefore, the governor hoped that the content creators of the photos could continue their work, and urge them not to delete works that had not been displayed in the book. The material could be of use for the reconstruction of future pandemic events in the future, as lessons learned.

"Creativity must continue, to make Jakarta the canvas for photographic creations. Hopefully many more can stimulate the narrative process for the better. Congratulations to those who have worked," he uttered.

As for the information, the launch of the 2020 Jakarta Portrait book, Collaboration Against Pandemic was also attended by senior photographer Drigo Tobing, photo editor Rifki Widiyanto and curator Yusie Meiti, as well as content creators whose work was published in the book.