Angga Wijaya launched his first poem book “Catatan Pulang” (“Notes Going Home”), in Rumah Berdaya on January 20th 2017. Besides, there was also an exhibition of artworks from Rumah Berdaya members (people with Schizophrenia), and the launch of Komang Ayu Septarini space as a form of our gratitude for her merits to Rumah Berdaya.

Angga Wijaya himself was diagnosed with Schizophrenia when he was in university. He dropped out and moved back to his hometown in Jembrana, Bali. He did not let himself down, he always tried to accept himself. Then he found a way to express himself better, that is through writing poems.

This launching ceremony in Rumah Berdaya is a special moment, because in Rumah Berdaya, art was always involved in every activity. The common prejudice to people with mental disability is that there is chaos in their mind, that affects the way they behave and their mood swings. This promotes the mindset of “normal” people that people with mental disabilities are “crazy” or different.

Art, specifically writings and paintings, could be an alternative therapy media because of the freedom of expression in art. Imaginations that were hard to interpret in an action, could be poured out in the form of drawings or words, without harm to the others. In harmony with that, Ketemu Project in Schizofriends Art Movement program, tried to facilitate them expressing themselves through art.

The artworks of Rumah Berdaya members could give us a picture about what they feel, think, even the background of the painter. Ketemu Project tried to bring out again human nature through art, so then they could go back to their own selves, understand better their heart, feel, and mind.