Cityscapes Ignore The Butterflies
Slamet A Sjukur

Javacheff is a crazy man and he is not a javanese although the name might suggest it in some curious ways. He is obsessed to wrap anything up, nearly everything, even a chain of hills!

By so doing he obliges people to see things in a surprisingly different way from usual. In 1985 he wrapped the entire bridge "Le Pont Neuf" in Paris in a thick canvas and secured it by a rope. The transformation of the public functional object into something which has nothing to do with the usefulness was an exciting new way of seeing

Life is a matter of routine for most people. A creative person like Javacheff Chisto sees other possibilities without limit in all things which we consider common. His imagination does restore our *capacity to wonder*, the presence of this precious energy submerged by modern civilization which does not know the balance between what is really necessary and the importance of enjoying life.

"Progress illuminates cities,"
"Nothing left in the dark, no place for silence."
"Everywhere is crowded:"
"Immense buildings, cars, people, junkfood etc."

We become more and more greedy, wanting *to own the whole planet *and eat it. Petroleum development is a part of the story.

When "Yasuni" National Park in Ecuador (Latin America) was considered by Unesco in 1989 as "Man and Biosphere Reserve," the problem was not so simple and is till complicated until now. There are conflicts of interests between biologists, conservationists, indigenous people and developers (the term "developer" itself is definitely wrong concept of modernity).

Yasuni Forest is an amazing biodiversity of more than 1.000.000 hectares, and where petroleum is also abundant deep in the earth.

A great effort of will has been done to protect nature against the need to explore hidden energy, by envolving local environment group and scientific community, keeping foreigner out of Pompeye-Sur-Iro as an
anticolonization stance. But the indigenous’s way of life by farming and hunting is also a threat to conservation, although the ravage is slower. Realistic demand for compensation addressed recently by Alberto Acosta,
the minister of energy, to U.N.O. who is concerned of global warming, does not get any concrete response.

Banten, a small region in north west Java, is in a better condition. Nature and culture is in good relation. The Baduy community has a strong commitment to their traditions. They feel in debted to *the generosity of nature*, to preserve the mother earth and tradition is a duty. This rigorous theocratic community was never intruded by colonial arrogance nor by powerful authoritarian regimes.

Wildlife Conservation Society - an international research organisation intended to save the world from "our misleading progress" - has reported that one of the important mistakes which endangers our cities is "the underestimated water management".

The earth being covered by asphalt and buildings does not able to absorb the rain, and the drainage is never sufficient. The rain which should be advantageous causes simply undesirable flood.

While on the other hand, the tunnels, where the rivers are forced to enter, can hardly stop the water from escaping through the pores. With 753 electrical pumps, New York City fights everyday against 52.000.000
litre of water which otherwise flow into subways. The earth water rises everyday in New York, anyhow. It is the problem of cities whose high technology pretends to know how to take advantage of what is on the surface and underneath as well..

We stand on two legs.
We play *the game* all the time
with gravity.
A butterfly might ask
‘do you think it is my business?’

Jakarta November 24, 2009
Slamet A.Sjukur