The Death of the Sunyaragi Cave Art Market in Cirebon

Cirebon - Right behind the historical site of Gua Sunyaragi, there is an art market that is now no longer operating, aka dead. According to detikJabar's monitoring at the location, there appears to be only one stall that is still actively selling, namely a stall that sells various Cirebon masks. The owner of the mask stall is a local resident named Dian Mulyadi (43).

While making bamboo fan crafts, Dian explained that behind Gua Sunyaragi, it used to be used as an art market, which had existed since 2008. At that time, Dian continued, the Gua Sunyaragi Art Market was inaugurated directly by the Deputy Mayor of Cirebon who was then held by Sunaryo, together with the Cirebon City Culture and Tourism Office.

"Initially, it was here, the Sunyaragi Cave Tourist Object Art Market, at that time there was an idea from the tourism office, coincidentally the land here belonged to the Tourism UPTD, so several art kiosks were made. At that time, the Mayor was Subardi and the Deputy Mayor was Sunaryo, it was inaugurated directly by them, even attended by the Sultan of the Kasepuhan Palace," said Dian, Friday (1/31/2024).

According to Dian, in the first years after its inauguration, the Sunyaragi Cave Art Market was an art market that was always crowded with sellers and buyers. Moreover, at that time, the Sunyaragi Cave Art Market was the only art market in Cirebon. At least, there were dozens of traders selling their works of art such as batik, glass paintings, masks and other crafts at the Sunyaragi Cave Art Market.

Dian recalled, not only filled with traders, the Sunyaragi Cave Art Market also often held various kinds of performances and training on Cirebon's unique arts. In one day, Dian herself could get a turnover of up to hundreds of thousands of rupiah, even when it was busy, such as on holidays, Dian's turnover could reach millions of rupiah.

"There are around 36-38 stalls in the Art Market. When it was still operating, there were also art performances every month, so it could attract visitors. It was very crowded, the entrance is from here, in one day I could get IDR 500,000, on holidays I once got IDR 1,500,000, because it was the only Art Market in Cirebon," said Dian.

However, in 2014, the Sunyaragi Cave Art Market began to be deserted by visitors. The reason was the revitalization of Sunyaragi Cave, which caused the entrance to Sunyaragi Cave, which was at the front of the market to be closed. Not only was it closed, the area around the art market was also built with a wall fence and buildings, this made access to the Art Market difficult because it was blocked by buildings. 

"4 years later, Sunyaragi Cave received assistance for the revitalization of the Sunyaragi Cave repairs. Well, with that construction, it spread to the Art Market, finally for those of us who sell here, it became closed, the entrance was also diverted, which was originally here (in the Art Market) was diverted to the other end, plus the land around here was all walled up," said Dian. 

Dian herself has tried various ways to get the fence surrounding the art market opened. However, until now, there has been no agreement between the Kasepuhan Palace as the manager of Sunyaragi Cave and the Cirebon City Culture and Tourism Office as the owner of the land in the Art Market.

"I have been trying since 2014 how the fence that was previously closed can be reopened, but there was no agreement, they said later the parking will be here. Because the land here is different, if this (Art Market) the land belongs to the tourism office, but if there the land belongs to the Keraton Kasepuhan foundation, so it's difficult, the market has to be crowded. So it's clear that the Sunyaragi Cave Art Market is now dead, because there is no access," said Dian. 

Actually, continued Dian, after the revitalization was completed, traders affected by the construction of the Sunyaragi Cave were moved to the shophouses in front of the Sunyaragi Cave. However, because they were burdened with rental costs, coupled with few visitors, many art traders went bankrupt. 

"The craftsmen were moved to the front, but were charged a rental fee, unlike here, the tourism office does not charge a rental fee, aka it is free, even a place is provided for selling. Over time, my friends moved here again, but because it was quiet, finally many stopped selling and returned to their respective studios," said Dian.

According to Dian, since 2014, until now she is the only one who still sells at the former Sunyaragi Cave Art Market location. The reason Dian still sells is because the location of her stall is not far from where she lives, so she can save on operational costs. In order to survive, Dian opened online sales on social media.

"After 2014 it was in ruins, no one wanted to fill the stall in front because there was rent, plus there were few visitors, so I was the only one who still survived, because I am from Sunyaragi, so if I am hungry I just go home, I survive because I also sell through social media," said Dian.

Even though it has been abandoned by traders and buyers, in order to keep it busy, Dian and her fellow artists often hold activities, such as dance training, discussions and mask making at the former Sunyaragi Cave Art Market location. Dian hopes that in the future the government can pay more attention to those who sell Cirebon art products.

"Well, our hope is that our friends from the service can promote Cirebon crafts again, hopefully later there will be a forum, either in the form of an art market or something else," concluded Dian.