Songs of Ubud

SONGS OF UBUD

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ISBN 978-979-3774-25-1 Cataloguing-in-Publication Data SONGS OF UBUD, Bali, 19 June - 11 July 2010 includes index and biographies of artists I.Paintings - Bali - Indonesia.

II. Painters - Indonesia.

III. Title Copyright Š 2010 LARASATI MUSE INVESTMENT PTE LTD No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of Larasati.

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Larasati Auctioneers and One East Asia are proud to jointly organize this delightful exhibition of traditional Balinese paintings.

While Larasati has been and continues to be at the forefront of identifying living traditional Balinese artists who have taken painting to new heights of creativity and skill in these modern times, One East Asia provides an extensive range of art management services, including education to enhance art appreciation in Asia.

‘Songs of Ubud’ explores the richness and diversity of traditional paintings of the highly dedicated Ubud painters today.

From Ketut Madra’s religious painting to Made Budi’s unique portrayal of daily life painted in the era of mass tourism.

Through this exhibition we, the non-Balinese, can experience and learn more about the life, art and culture of the Balinese in the context of the extraordinary political and social changes that have occurred in this region over the past decade.

I personally feel that Bali is a paradise not because of her sandy beaches, majestic terraced paddy fields and heavenly resorts. It’s a paradise because every day on this island is a celebration of life, even in death.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation and thanks to all participating artists, collectors, curators, Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) and General Hotel Management (GHM) for turning this dream exhibition into reality.

Someday, perhaps many years from now, when you visit Bali again, hopefully you will remember these artists and their works when they were younger - you will remember “Songs of Ubud” - and you will remember all of us.

Daniel Komala President & CEO, Larasati Auctioneers Chairman, One East Asia

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Greetings, We are proud of and warmly welcome the emphatic initiative of traditional Balinese art lovers in Jakarta, who convene under the committee of Bali Bangkit, to hold an exhibition of traditional Balinese paintings at the Agung Rai Museum of Art, Ubud. We are truly grateful for the full confidence bestowed on us.

This vitally important forum will present a traditional dimension rich with Balinese conception of socio-cultural order that is harmonious, teeming with spiritual values, and have in the past gained excellent achievements. In this interactive promotional stage, the continued presence of traditional Balinese paintings is represented as a proof and a unique record of the essential moments in its historical development. It is therefore something to be thankful for that the committee of Bali Bangkit reached a uniform agreement to not let traditional Balinese paintings become a passive and silent member amidst the hustle and bustle of the development of world art, or lose its orientation or characteristics that have become its identity.

Bali Bangkit periodically and synchronistically affirms that traditional Balinese paintings possess elastic endurance and a flexible attitude that enable them to stand side by side with non-Balinese essence amidst the waves of change and the ebb and flow of creativity throughout the ages. We don’t need to stop around the mere comprehension of situational development; in fact, we hope that this stage is able to awaken the awareness to create, to enhance productivity, and no less importantly, to integrate creative vitality with the local wisdom that is its very soul.

The ways in which Bali Bangkit fills in the holes in the cycle of life of the traditional Balinese art is a gift. It needs to be appreciated with optimism along with the creative spirit in building its image, so that the meaning of the awakening era which it echoes will not dissolve in a series of platitudes, but rather, is able to take it to a more quality life. Traditional Balinese Painting will always develop under the wing of traditional art lovers united in the committee of Bali Bangkit.

Thank You!

Anak Agung Rai The Founder of ARMA (Agung Rai Museum of Art)

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Welcome to Songs of Ubud, an inspiring collection of paintings by some of the finest and most talented artists in Bali.

I sincerely hope you will enjoy this fascinating exhibition which truly expresses the creativity and deep spirit of this remarkable and exotic island.

GHM (General Hotels Management) is very proud to be the sponsor of this exhibition.

All of our hotels and resorts are set in exotic locations throughout the world and it is very much part of our philosophy that they are deeply rooted in the culture in which they are located.

But nowhere is this truer than with our resorts in Bali. The Chedi Club at Tanah Gajah in Ubud, and The Legian and The Club at The Legian in Seminyak all owe their inspiration, style and warm indigenous hospitality to Bali’s rich artistic and cultural traditions. So it is an honour and a privilege for us to be able to celebrate and pay homage to this rich artistic spirit which is so unique to Bali.

I personally have been visiting Bali for a number of years now, and I truly find the depth and range of its artistic expression to be remarkable and unrivalled.

Bali’s unique and authentic culture deeply touches the lives of those who come into contact with it, willing them to return over and over again to this magical island. I am certainly one of them and I have no doubt I will always remain a regular and faithful visitor.

I congratulate the organisers of One East Asia and Larasati Auctioneers for putting together this wonderful exhibition, and for giving us all an opportunity to learn more about Bali’s rich artistic legacy, as well as to meet some of its finest living artists.

Hans Jenni Director & President, GHM (General Hotel Management)

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PROCESS, PRODUCT AND PROGRESS Perspectives on Balinese Traditional Painting

L’Envoi (To ‘The Seven Seas’) “When Earth’s last picture is painted, and the tubes are twisted and dried, When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died, We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it– lie down for an aeon or two, Till the Master of All Good Workmen shall set us to work anew!

And those that were good shall be happy: they shall sit in a golden chair; They shall splash at a ten-league canvas with brushes of comets’ hair; They shall find real saints to draw from– Magdalene, Peter, and Paul, They shall work for an age at a sitting and never be tired at all!

And only the Master shall praise us, and only the Master shall blame; And no one shall work for money, and no one shall work for fame; But each for the joy of the working, and each, in his separate star, Shall draw the Thing as he sees It for the God of Things as They Are!” (Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936)

On New Year’s Day of 2010, I attended a party that was held at an expat professor’s villa. Among the guests were around a dozen Balinese, Javanese, expats, artists, dancers, writers and surprisingly, even a few foreign tourists.

Amidst the lively pre-dinner conversations, the topic turned to a series of exhibitions of Balinese traditional paintings that were being held at the time. A German man living in Bali, who purports to be involved in the local art scene, probably had his tongue loosened by the free flowing vodka on an empty stomach. Suddenly, he proclaimed out of the blue, or rather the darkness of the night, with a clear note of derision in his voice: “Ach, traditional Balinese paintings are craft trying to be art only for money!”

The immediate reaction to his remark was silence, for even the mixed crowd understood the carefully worded remark in rather heavily accented English. Everyone could hear the crickets merrily chirping away in the lush gardens, completely oblivious to the changed mood that had just taken place. We focused our attention on our drinks and snacks, staring into our glasses like yogis contemplating our navels to the soft sounds of clinking ice cubes, muffled sips, and cracking nutshells. The host, sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere generated by this statement, quickly shifted the conversation to another completely unrelated topic which, for the life of me, I cannot recall. Such was the sensitivity, or perhaps more 7

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the insensitivity towards many of the guests that night, of this man’s comment; no one dared to discuss the subject any further so as to not ruin the party. Several hours later as the guests departed, everyone seemed to have forgotten about it.

Or had they? At least I could not, for in my own mind there was truth in his statement if selectively applied to nearly all souvenir works, a great number of gallery paintings, and even some museum pieces. Unfortunately, this leaves little of anything else. In this essay, I will expound some very personal views of Balinese traditional painting which have evolved over the past two decades and especially in the last five years.

Multiple Meanings Art, by definition, is a creative or imaginative activity and the works that result from it. A practice that makes use of a special medium or technique can be art, as well as the aesthetic values involved. It can be a craft, practical skill or knack for doing something, such as the art of a certain style of cooking, the art of love—both physical and visual, martial arts, and, as the Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu wrote twenty-six centuries ago in his treatise, The Art of War; he may also have had artillery on his mind. Even a mundane activity like motorcycle repair has been elevated to an art with Zen in one book; I haven’t read it but have doubts about how this mechanical skill can be equated with Buddhist meditation to overcome dualistic thinking and lead to enlightenment. Art is a discipline that does not rely on scientific methodology.

As far as I know, no one has written anything on the art of art, but perhaps that would be redundant anyway.

The phrase ‘state of the art’ is used to describe the latest, high tech developments in manufactured products, especially automotive, computer, communication and electronic goods. While the best art is said to be ‘cutting edge’ it also can be a double edged sword, for there is a darker side to art that relies on contrivance and cunning. To be ‘artful’ can be showing skill but it also can be deceitful and crafty, as epitomized in the very name of British author Charles Dickens’ character Jack Dawkins, better known as the streetwise Artful Dodger, in his nineteenth century novel, Oliver Twist. A dodger is a person who evades by cunning, deceit or trickery, so the fictional pickpocket is doubly skilled, a true professional.

Someone who is ‘artless’ not only lacks art and is crude, but on the positive side is simple, natural, without cunning, guileless and not deceitful. To be ‘arty’ is to be affectedly or artificially artistic; unfortunately, there are just too many people who go around acting like this these days.

But no matter how one looks at it, art is artificial because it is made by human beings and does not occur naturally; art is made in imitation of or inspired by something. I would never describe a beautiful sunset as art; the naturally occurring and temporary event goes beyond what a painting or photograph of it is able to capture and freeze. Note that the word ‘art’ is at the beginning of the word ‘artificial’, perhaps symbolic of how the creative process starts. An artifact is an aesthetic article crafted through human activities. An artifice, however, is a crafty purpose or way of serving narrow interests; it also is a stratagem, a way to deceive or surprise that depends on trickery, cleverness and ingenuity. And so I can understand the relationship of art with Sun Tzu’s military tactics.

This reminds me of a Chinese fable that I read so long ago that some of the details are vague to me, but which is worth telling because of its important message. An emperor visited an artist and saw a painting of a goldfish so lifelike that it appeared to be swimming about in a lotus pond. When the emperor asked to have the work, the painter politely refused but promised to make a similar one for his majesty. Many years went by but the painting never materialized, and all seemed to have been forgotten until finally the emperor remembered the painter’s promise. He went back to the artist and asked for the work, whereupon the painter sat down at his desk and made the work of the goldfish right then and there, better than the one still hanging on the wall which first attracted the emperor’s attention. “So, why did it take you so long to fulfill your promise?” asked the emperor. The artist stood up and opened the door of an adjoining room, where many similar paintings covered the walls. “I’ve been practicing and wanted to paint in the presence of your majesty.” Art was a process for the painter; for the emperor it was a product.

An artisan is a person with above average manual skills who makes an artifact, but an artist is someone who practices any aesthetic activity using a specific medium or technique with a high level of originality, creativity or imagination. However, put an ‘e’ at the end of ‘artist’ and you get an ‘artiste’, who is a public performer, showy person or even a showoff; in fact, many artists also have been artistes at the same time, leading eccentric lifestyles and carrying out very public activities 8

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in order to call attention to themselves, whether their art is worth being noticed or not. Sensationalism sells, after all.

And let’s not forget the closely related con-artist, who skillfully manipulates others in creative and imaginative ways to get them to do something that they would not ordinarily do, like purchasing an object of questionable aesthetic value at a high price. One does not necessarily need to be an artist to do this, although it may be helpful; all it takes is a clever, sweet talking promoter and an attractive gallery preferably with track lighting, air-conditioning and soothing music that supports a subliminal sales pitch. Complimentary snacks and drinks help a lot. And, oh yes, a key factor in this equation is someone who finds everything completely believable and also has the cash to spend.

And then there is craft, which is the skill of making or doing something, especially in the arts, or a trade that requires certain skills. Craft also is a skill in evasion or deception; it is guile, treachery and cunning, all of which can apply to anything ranging from statecraft to witchcraft. To be ‘crafty’ is to be underhanded, deceptive or devious. I recall something from my years as a university student, when one of my professors remarked, “Now remember, this is a studio in fine art. So in your works I don’t want to see anything that looks like ‘the loving hands of home’.” Of course, this final phrase was interpreted in as many different ways as there were students in the class. Some of the younger female students snickered, while older ones rolled their eyes back as they felt that this comment was directed at them. ‘The loving hands of home’ probably conjured up girlhood memories of doing such activities as needlepoint and decorating birthday cakes.

As one of the guys, I just sat back in my seat and wondered if this advice gave me free license to be sloppy and careless, although that was not my style anyway. But what the professor really meant was to avoid the appearance of craft in our art projects, whatever that might be, especially things like finicky details and too much attention on the medium instead of the message. Never mind the detailed excess in Renaissance and Baroque paintings, which no one in their right mind would ever consider to be craft, although many of them relied on crafty visual tricks to achieve their effects.

Skill over Subject Indeed, there is a very fine line between art and craft, and this is especially true of Balinese traditional paintings. I can easily and readily appreciate the artistry of these works, the high level of skill and patience needed to show every leaf on a tree and single grain of rice on the stalk in painstaking detail with fine brushstrokes and nuances of shading and color. Balinese artists seem to have a lot of time to paint, although most of them cannot work fulltime due to obligations to family, community, religion and agriculture. Completing a painting may take up to four times as long as a fulltime artist.

But beyond the technical values, I’m always yearning for something more than the repetitious images of stereotypical ceremonies, stilted dancers and overcrowded markets. The island is full of so many more interesting scenes, yet most of the paintings seem to be limited to themes that can be literally counted on one hand, give or take a few fingers figuratively.

Bali is the only place that I know of where a whole industry has developed around paintings ranging from souvenir kitsch to museum quality fine art. There are a few remote villages in India which specialize in painting, which is mostly aimed at locals and can be found with great effort by going to find the artists or simply by visiting government sponsored arts and crafts emporiums that are located in most major cities across the immense country. In Bali, which is infinitesimal by comparison to India, paintings are available wherever one goes. With prices ranging from a few up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, it’s not surprising why so many people, whether skilled or not, will pick up brushes and hope that what they paint will sell for a lot of money. In Kipling’s poem, which opened this essay, are the lines:

“And only the Master shall praise us, and only the Master shall blame; And no one shall work for money, and no one shall work for fame.”

As unrealistic and romantic this may sound, there have been a few Balinese artists who have shunned the limelight and created chaos in the art market by giving away some of their works to those who really appreciated but could not afford them. Such masters are worthy of praise as well as blame, albeit in a positive sense.

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Unfortunately, most people do not care to learn more about what they are looking at in a Balinese painting. Unless accompanied by a label with explanation, which very few places provide, a painting of a Balinese temple ceremony will remain exotic and mysterious. The colorful flora and fauna paintings, while pleasantly insipid, usually show plants and animals which are not unique to Bali and can be seen in similar environments throughout Southeast Asia. However, I just don’t feel that a Balinese painting of, for example, a cremation ceremony would go over very well with clients of a New York bank, and I seriously doubt that a wealthy Chinese family would want such a work hanging in the living room of their penthouse in Hong Kong because of cultural attitudes towards death, or that the painting would find its way into a luxury hotel suite in Paris where romance is the flavor of the day and more so at night. After all, a painting of a Balinese funeral ceremony would surely put a damper on amorous activities, but perhaps the cremation flames might kindle some passion. Who knows?

Of course there are suitable works with neutral themes like a rice harvest that might work anywhere, but that can become tiresome if repeated in every suite or meeting room. A few years ago, some children of different backgrounds who were enrolled at a rather privileged elementary school went on an excursion to an art museum in Bali. They imagined that a fairly realistic style painting of a rice harvest showed men and women getting ready for a battle instead simply because they thought that a man bearing an empty pole on his shoulder was carrying a sword. Obviously, the students had never seen this very common agricultural activity before, which is a sad commentary on the limited exposure of youth to life on the island and the increasing loss of agricultural land for other uses. In yet another painting, some of the school children thought that the blue colored ground was water and that the people were trying to get to safety in nearby pavilions to escape a rising flood. The work actually was of a Balinese wedding ceremony, clearly shown in the center, but again these students had probably never been to a real marriage ritual to have known that and thought that a priest sitting on a raised platform was floating on a raft. While that interpretation took some imagination, it’s surprising that the children couldn’t understand why the ground was, of all colors, blue!

Similarly, I would guess that many visitors to Bali also do not actually see the events depicted in the paintings that they buy, which are mostly idealized versions of ceremonies and scenery. Some of the combinations would not actually happen, such as a temple festival and cremation ceremony occurring at the same time which no community on the island would permit due to a conflict of ritual interests. So the paintings often only reflect a hope of witnessing the subject matter in person, an unfulfilled dream. Occasionally, they may serve as reminders for those who were fortunate enough to run into a colorful religious procession or pass by rice-fields being harvested by teams of farmers. But very few non-Balinese have the stamina to stay up all night long into the wee hours of the morning to watch the lion-like Barong confronting the widow-witch Rangda in a Calonarang dance-drama that is shown in so many paintings. And many visitors have no clue as to how to tell one mythological character from another in a puppet play since only the shadows are visible, that is, unless they watch from the puppeteer’s side of the screen and see the figures in color but still remain confused nonetheless.

Of course, it doesn’t help one bit if a painting is given an incorrect title by someone, who purports to be an expert but usually has very little idea about what is actually shown. This often happens simply because the painter never bothered to title a work in the first place. I can’t remember who gave the following, very wise words of advice:

“It’s best to keep quiet and be thought a fool, than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.”

But what applies to speech is perhaps more important for writing, for printed words remain whereas spoken words, unless recorded, exist in the moment and memory. Checking with a reliable source, and there are many, could easily clear up these blatant errors in titles for paintings; but I wonder how important this might be in light of how often mistakes keep on happening.

Crafty Commercialization Let me briefly turn now to what are literally eye-openers. Take those saccharine works showing Balinese children playing 10

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gamelan music and doing other rather grownup activities, at least in the eyes of outsiders who are unaware that this is very common among youths. The figures look more like plastic dolls instead of humans with eyes much too large for their faces, and all of them with nearly the same expression that, for reasons not always apparent in the painting, seems to border on great surprise. Those big eyes remind me of times when, during my own childhood, I would be leafing through magazines. In many of them I came across colorful advertisements for original paintings of very wideeyed puppies and kittens. Cute and cuddly, these furry critters were the American equivalent of those innocent looking painted Balinese children with equally round eyes. But take a closer look at those wide-eyed kids prancing about with terrifying demon masks and running around while brandishing flaming torches in a dark and spooky forest in the middle of the night. Given these circumstances, the children do not seem as adorable and charming as they first appeared to be. There almost seems to be something sinister going on in heightened moods of conflict and fear.

Those advertisements for baby animal paintings suddenly disappeared when it was publicly revealed that a middle-aged woman first painted all of the eyes on blank canvases, and then the other parts of the animals were done by other people to fulfill individual orders as they came in for, say, a brown-eyed cocker spaniel puppy or a green-eyed tabby kitten.

How scandalous! Or was it really? Nevertheless, thousands of such mass-produced works probably were hanging in children’s bedrooms across the country at the time. I wonder how many youngsters suffered nightmares as a result of these critters staring at them like bug-eyed aliens in science fiction movies. I’d guess that most of the paintings probably remained on the walls, however, as their owners probably didn’t care about their originality and effect on tender minds.

Anyway, they probably cost too much money or pride and just couldn’t be hidden away in some closet or attic. Similarly, those works of big-eyed Balinese children are made to order, fetching prices that exceed their genuine value and once even placing among the best works in an Indonesian modern art competition, looking quite like a fish out of water among all those abstract, expressionist and experimental paintings. The eyes of participating contemporary artists and nearly all the viewers became bigger than those of the children in the work, as everyone wondered how this could happen in such a high profile event. In addition, this traditional piece and many others like it are not unique, for they are produced by many painters who use the same style.

Now isn’t that artful and crafty? But doesn’t it sound familiar? During the late 1970s and early 1980s, a European entrepreneur worked with a Balinese man who came from a village that was famous for paintings done in a naïve style.

These works were very commercially successful during the 1960s and were internationally exhibited, but now it needed a new impetus a decade later to keep the artists content with enough money. The entrepreneur provided picture books of another country’s naïve paintings which the Balinese artists, who are by nature great copyists, found easy to make in comparison with the more sophisticated works that they were already doing. These Balinese imitations with slight variations were sold back in Europe for the same high prices as originals made by the country’s artists, which were hard to come by and quite expensive. I wonder how many of these European naïve paintings made in Bali are still hanging in homes and, heaven forbid, perhaps even some art museums around the world!

Vanishing Vitality Art should be like the water of an artesian well, rising to the surface from deep below in response to internal pressure. It can slowly bubble up or burst forth as a fountain. In a play of words, ‘art’ is found at the end of ‘heart’; art should come from the heart, for that is its real source. Once again I return to Kipling’s poem, for the following lines are at the very heart of art and the artist:

“But each for the joy of the working and each, in his separate star, Shall draw the Thing as he sees It for the God of Things as They Are!”

It’s often said that no work of art truly is original; everything is just a reinterpretation of something that has already been done before. Artists try to be as creative as possible, but they are not completely immune from borrowing and copying 11

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elements of other styles that they internalize and interpret in today’s modern world, particularly with so much access to information in print and on the internet.

Artists are now living in the twenty-first century and with all the comforts of modernization; those who try to act otherwise are arty, artistes and artificial. The clock cannot be made to run backwards just as the Balinese are not willing to give up their motorcycles and mobile phones. However, computer technology is no longer a tool like a brush or palette knife but has become the primary means for making many contemporary paintings. This is like a paint-by-number kit in which a work with printed outlines is done by filling in numbered areas with matching numbered pigments, much like a coloring book but with every single hue, tint and shade indicated. I suspect that many contemporary works, especially portraits of famous people, are done in the same way by projecting digital images onto canvases and then adding in the colors.

During and after a series of recent exhibitions of Balinese traditional paintings that provoked the comment at the start of this essay, I was asked several times for information and my opinions by a number of people with a wide range of backgrounds. Most of them had very little knowledge about the subject, however, and much of what they did came from books with sometimes rather dubious information. After these conversations, I soon realized that the time has finally come to do away with the geographic and demographic labels that have so long been applied to different styles of Balinese traditional painting. There are several reasons in favor of this idea; not only are these regional artistic distinctions no longer accurate, they also give the impression that the villages are physically fixed, not growing or evolving with the needs of the population, completely insular and immune to change.

Nothing could be further from the truth. When these styles first began to emerge in Bali during the early 1930s, villages back then were much smaller and physically separated by fields and forests, rivers and ravines. Roads were few if nonexistent and communications rather poor, so regional styles did exist. And, of course, there were fewer tourists at that time than there are today. A quick comparison of works created back then and those being made today show a world of differences even to a novice. The artificial categories are mostly maintained because they are convenient for exhibition and commercial purposes, but they also may have led some artists to impose creative self-restrictions in order not to stray too far from the accepted norms in the styles that they are supposed to be following. A pastel palette with natural looking figures, depth and shadow are identified with a particular style and cannot be used in another, for that would be the equivalent of artistic trespassing and aesthetic transgression. Balinese painters are challenged to find creativity within defined limitations which also are supported by tourism for promotional purposes and financial gain. Nowadays, Balinese traditional paintings are beginning to look more homogeneous, just like the subjects that are shown in them.

Of course, it’s not fair to judge Balinese works using subjective Western concepts of creativity, individuality, innovation, uniqueness, expression and originality; after all, Bali is community oriented and conformity is the norm. Yet there have been many outstanding Balinese artists whose works transcend those produced by the majority.

Once again I will engage in some wordplay. An English word ending in ‘-ery’ means ‘a place for something’ like a bakery or brewery, places which take care of physical needs. It can also be intangible as ‘a characteristic or condition of something’ such as snobbery or forgery. An artery, however, is not a place or condition of art; instead, it is either a blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart or, moving in the other direction, a major transportation route into which local roads flow. Most Balinese traditional painting today is like both of these definitions: in the first, artistic lifeblood is flowing away from the source which is not being replenished; in the second, minor or individualistic styles are absorbed by the mainstream due to economic or aesthetic reasons. Unfortunately, there can be traffic jams along the way, as evident in the current stagnation and lack of vitality in the arts which, in reality, started several decades ago. Painting is at a standstill, stuck in an artistic gridlock. In medical terms it’s like arteriosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries which impairs circulation and can eventually cause a heart attack.

During a recent conversation, a young Balinese art dealer expressed to me his concern about keeping traditional painting alive at all costs rather than let it die out. His interest in his cultural heritage was also motivated by commercial aspects, but if there is a genuine lack of interest in it then why keep it artificially going on a life support system? Is it time to pull the plug on Balinese traditional painting and then wait to see what happens? Or has this already taken place, with the result being a kind of vegetative state? Kipling’s poem recognizes the need for a break: 12

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“We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it– lie down for an aeon or two, Till the Master of All Good Workmen shall set us to work anew!”

Renaissance art lasted from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries and naturally evolved into the historical styles of Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, Surrealism and Abstraction. The Hindu-Buddhist Balinese sense of time, of course, is cyclical and not linear like in the West. The soul also goes through many rebirths until it is eventually released from the cycle of reincarnation and becomes united with the supreme divine essence. However, the soul of Balinese traditional painting already seems to have disappeared, something which happened in the not so distant past. Is it waiting to be reborn or is it gone forever? Let’s hope for the former rather than the latter.

Quantity over Quality Today, the once distinctive styles of Balinese traditional painting have influenced each other in many different aesthetic ways. Even puppet style works, long considered to be last stronghold of tradition, are not fully immune to change.

Commercially produced art supplies are replacing the more time-consuming natural pigments and handmade palm-rib pens and bamboo brushes, although most artists have already been using manufactured materials for quite some time.

Some puppet style painters have long shown stylized figures wandering, meeting, making love, fighting and dying in more naturally appearing surroundings. This odd juxtaposition can appear to be strange and jarring at first but perhaps reflects how mythology really is so much a part of Balinese daily life.

Or at least it used to be. Last year, I happened to see a young neighborhood boy running in the street with a bamboo and string bow that he was going to attach to his kite to make a buzzing sound when it was flown. I called out to him, “Are you Rama chasing the Golden Deer?” He suddenly stopped in his tracks, gave me a rather puzzled look, and simply replied with another question, “What are you talking about?” And before waiting for me to answer, he nonchalantly dashed away pursued by what sounded like an invisible swarm of angry hornets emanating from the bow that he held in his hands. Only ten years old, he no longer knew about one of the most famous episodes from the Ramayana epic.

It’s not entirely his fault; his social, cultural and educational upbringing is more to blame. On a positive side, however, at least he was getting physical exercise outdoors instead of sitting inside playing some mindless videogame as some of his friends were doing at the time. The future of traditional literature and puppet style painting in Bali looks bleak and cannot compete with popular culture. But this trend is widespread in many other places in the world, so why should Bali be different? The Balinese should not be romanticized as living in an idealized past.

Under the influence of contemporary art, traditional paintings have also become much larger in size. This means either more figures being needed to fill the bigger canvas or, as many painters opt to do instead, painting larger figures because they take less time and are easier to do. But I’ve heard of some collectors who purchase works with more figures in them simply because they feel that they’re getting more value for their money, even though a much better and equally priced painting with fewer figures in it is available. I wonder, then, if some painters are intentionally putting more figures in their works simply for this reason, for such is the ‘business of busyness’. Intricacy is part of a natural evolutionary process, moving from simple to complex. In the arts, this increasing elaboration eventually leads to decadence; this is even referred to as involution. In a short poem, British actor and playwright Noel Coward already observed this in Bali during a visit back in 1935:

“As I mentioned this morning to Charlie, There is far too much music in Bali.

And altho’ as a place it’s entrancing, There is also a thought too much dancing.

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It appears that each Balinese native From the womb to the tomb is creative, From sunrise till long after sundown, Without getting nervy or rundown, They sculpt and they paint and they practice their songs, They run through their dances and bang on their gongs.

Each writhe and each wriggle, Each glamorous giggle, Each sinuous action, Is timed to a fraction.

And altho’ all the Lovelies and Pretties Unblushingly brandish their titties, The whole thing’s a little too clever, And there’s too much artistic endeavour!”

While the Balinese traditionally are fond of filling their works with motifs, the sense of balance between large and small figures, breathing spaces, and use of color is nearly absent today in painting. Darker colors are lighter, pastel colors have taken on more intensity, and smaller figures have become larger and more crowded. Depth, lighting and shadow as well as perspective are all major aesthetic concerns these days, but anatomy is less of an issue since that requires a great deal of scientific study in a culture that does not really emphasize this kind of learning. Besides, art by definition doesn’t rely on scientific methodology anyway.

I’ve always wondered who has enough wall space to display very big works anyway. To be frank, the majority of Balinese traditional paintings would simply not qualify as museum quality pieces, which probably are the only places with buildings and walls large enough to properly exhibit them. While there are a number of individuals who may have suitable spaces at their houses, offices or hotels, most of them, or at least the ones whom I know, are more interested in contemporary rather than traditional art. After all, they have to appear modern and progressive instead of old-fashioned and conservative, which is perceived to be a better way to attract clients despite the risky business practices of recent times that led to financial meltdowns in many countries. When a painting, especially a contemporary one, fetches an extraordinary high price and becomes common knowledge, which can happen very quickly these days due to mobile phones and the internet, similar copies will soon appear in many souvenir shops and galleries in Bali. Competitions and auctions add to the spectacular speculation in the market, as recent events have clearly shown. Some dealers scour the galleries for works by painters before awards are publicly announced; in the stock markets, this kind of insider trading information is illegal.

Continuity and Creativity When looking at offerings, I realize how ritual art has, for most part, been able to resist the trend towards homogenization even today in spite of the misguided efforts of some religious authorities who are trying to change that. They cannot force every housewife and offering expert to conform and thus risk tampering with something that has served the Balinese well over the centuries. Besides, who would decide which style would be considered to be the standard for others to follow, and why that one and not another? I seriously doubt that villagers would give up their unique style of offerings, for there would be great resistance and the entire system of religious ritual would be threatened with collapse.

Offerings serve a much higher purpose; they are for petitioning invisible forces, spiritually fortifying living beings, and providing for the dead in the afterlife.

Since so many offerings are abstract and symbolic, I wonder why most Balinese abstract art is so insipid. Why can’t Balinese contemporary artists learn more from their own culture? Do they simply disregard most of it as too 14

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old-fashioned and conservative, not worthy of inspiring modern art? Too many works simply rely on including black-andwhite checkered cloths in them, an overused motif that is one of the easiest things to make something look Balinese.

But this kind of cloth and its red-and-white or tricolor versions are not at all unique to Bali and are quite common in many other Asian countries. I’ve sometimes been asked by some Western visitors to Bali why big trees and demon statues are wearing tablecloths, which is how they generally use such checkered fabrics back home.

Balinese traditional dance and music have suffered the same sad fate as painting, with unique forms lost as performing art schools encourage their students to learn and later teach the same pieces back in their villages. While many of these dances and musical pieces had religious functions, they were limited in frequency to ceremonies and restricted who could participate. Now nearly everywhere on the island one can see the same dances in the same costumes with the same music. Things are not as special as before; in fact, it can be rather boring and monotonous even for the Balinese who only watch if their own children or any whom they know are performing. In addition, packaged tourist performances are becoming increasingly common as temple festival entertainment, for they don’t require much creative effort and extra rehearsals. Just ask the local dance and music group or a friend who is a member of one to donate their time as part of their service to a temple ceremony, a formula that doesn’t cost much.

It never ceases to amaze me how short the Balinese memory seems to be for new compositions. New dances are usually variations of previous pieces done with more performers or wearing different costumes. New musical pieces mostly are rearrangements of things done before, including such sounds as rhythmic things as body slapping, knives chopping on wooden blocks, and sweeping with palm-rib brooms. Silences and pauses in music and dance, once so important for contrast and that wonderful feeling of anticipation when time seems to slow down or even come to a stop, are rare in new compositions and choreographies. In addition, gamelan musicians also are acting like dancers with over-choreographed stage entrances and seating which make them look like novice military recruits, and contrived picking up of instrument mallets using grand gestures. Even the interactions from smiles of satisfaction to disagreements among musicians have to be staged these days since pieces are over practiced to perfection and leave little room for extra expression or even, heaven forbid, an error. Everything has become so formal and, dare I say, retentive; gone are spontaneity and naturalness. It’s lacking genuine feeling and spirit, becoming much too stiff and mechanical.

At this point, I wish to bring up a related issue with similar repercussions. In 2009, there was great uproar in Indonesia when a Balinese dance was used to promote Malaysian tourism. The young women in the advertisement were Malaysians who had learned it while studying at the arts institute in Bali. Suddenly, there was a great surge of interest among the Balinese in this rather simple dance called panyembrama, which was choreographed during the 1950s in order to prevent the sacred pendet temple dance from being performed for secular events, especially welcoming important visitors to the island. Pendet can either be a simple group dance done by designated performers wearing formal outfits, or improvised and done in temple clothing instead of a special costume by an inspired worshipper of any gender and age who picks up an offering or similar object and dances with it during a ceremony. As time went on, however, younger dancers who had only learned fixed choreographies were unable to properly improvise, felt self-conscious or lacked self-confidence, and so panyembrama took the place of pendet.

But when the controversy erupted, the choreographed and secular panyembrama was called pendet instead and, as a result, took on all of the ritual meaning that it never had in the first place, thus undermining the very reason why it was created. A highly educated, middle-aged Balinese woman whom I spoke with at the time was adamant that pendet-panyembrama was sacred until I pointed out to her, and she had to grudgingly agree, that the dancers were not using incense, making prayers and receiving holy water. All that they were doing, after repetitive motions facing different directions, was to scatter flower petals; this is never done in a real religious ceremony but only in a glamorous movie version. And unlike pendet, only a female can perform panyembrama; I have never seen a male do it in a masculine style, which would be culturally and religiously acceptable.

“Let the Malaysians have the boring panyembrama so that the Balinese can create something better and more interesting,” I commented at the time to some of my Balinese friends, who laughed and nodded their heads in agreement.

Unfortunately, similar dances which were choreographed as alternatives to panyembrama have not been much better, 15

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appearing to be more like fashion shows with increasingly elaborate outfits but with dancers still using almost the same repetitious movements. During the controversy, a new art center in Bali wanted to stage a symbolic protest as part of its opening ceremony by having a pendet masal performed en masse by one-hundred dancers. In the end, however, they could only muster up a few dozen girls from a village that is well-known for its dancers who could actually do pendetpanyembrama well enough. And it was a rather ordinary performance using a bad recording instead of live gamelan music!

When the offending Malaysian promotion was withdrawn the protests in Indonesia ended right away but, as far as I know, there was no follow-up regarding dance and its role in Bali. For a moment there was the momentum for something momentous, but the opportunity for some serious dialogue was quickly lost. Even some leading dancers and choreographers, who told me in private that they wanted to hold a pendet-panyembrama competition with non-Balinese and especially Malaysian dancers participating, never went beyond the talking stage. Perhaps they realized the possibility that the Balinese might not win, which would be very embarrassing indeed; after all, hula troupes from the mainland USA and Japan have won higher honors than local groups in contests even in Hawaii! And so when it came to the pendet-panyembrama controversy, the Balinese seemed content to just let things go once the dust had settled. Why, after all, should they make a tempest in a teapot since they got what they wanted? Anyway, this wasn’t the first time that Indonesia’s cultural heritage had been claimed by Malaysia.

In my opinion, however, this appeared to be more about the lack of initiative which I’ve observed in so many other aspects of Balinese society today, especially the arts. The last great artistic surge happened in 1998 when the Indonesian government was forced to resign amidst great social, economic and political unrest. Some of the country’s best contemporary—but not traditional—art was created then and for a few years following in response to the new freedom after over three decades of repression. It was an artistic catharsis on an unprecedented scale that has never been matched since then, even in Bali. Now that artistic freedom seems so commonplace, contemporary art has again become rather insipid.

Apart from the natural disasters that frequently strike Indonesia and over which humans have no control, will only another major crisis help to revive the arts? The terrorist bomb attacks in Bali in 2002 and 2005, however, did not lead to any widespread artistic response as in 1998. Perhaps those events were too close to home for most Balinese artists to attempt any kind of serious introspection. In 2006 the Indonesian government proposed draconian anti-pornography laws, which the Balinese and several other ethnic groups saw as contrary to their religious beliefs and cultural values.

The Balinese threatened civil disobedience and, for only one day, held an outdoor protest with a few bare-breasted older dancers and an exhibition that featured paintings of nudes. When less severe versions of the laws were eventually passed in 2008 and a judicial challenge against them failed in 2010, no demonstrations took place because the Balinese government outright refused to implement the legislation on the basis of regional autonomy. And so life went on as usual.

A New Nomenclature Throughout this article, I’ve intentionally avoided the time-worn geographic and demographic labels used to categorize Balinese traditional painting styles for all the reasons that I’ve gone through; similarly, I’ve also left out the names of artists. So, what are the alternatives? Allow me to make the following suggestions: 1) Balinese puppet painting: stylized figures derived from wayang kulit or leather puppet iconography to illustrate mythology, legend and folklore; 2) Balinese genre painting: varying degrees of realism to portray daily life and related events; and 3) Balinese naïve painting: simplified style and free use of color to show scenes of daily life and similar events.

A fourth category is Balinese modern art, which I’ve briefly touched upon a few times but is beyond the subject of this article; it includes everything else not covered by the other three. Completely outside of these labels are those of non-Balinese subjects, such as Burmese Buddhist monks and Afghan Muslim women, which are just very badly copied from photographs. They are not even souvenir works of Bali, other than having been made on the island, and I wonder who in their right mind would buy them anyway. It’s best that these pieces gather dust and get covered over by cobwebs 16

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than be displayed in someone’s home.

These proposed new labels are more accurate and take into account developments that have occurred over time and across larger areas. They also do not assume any knowledge of Balinese art history and so can be more inclusive; they should be as simple and straightforward as possible. Eliminating the old categories can hopefully lead to more freedom of expression, greater creativity and higher standards of quality without the aesthetic restrictions defined by outdated styles. These new categories also play down the aspect of Bali as an island where everyone is an artist, which the tourist industry and guidebooks still repeat. This romantic colonial notion has long been disproved by researchers and proved by the many Balinese who aren’t involved in fine arts.

In this essay, it has not been my intent to putdown Balinese traditional painting. Instead, my design is to promote better and more universal aesthetic standards which can be used to distinguish between art and craft, both of which have their intrinsic values for their respective audiences. And so I will conclude now with one of the most famous lines from seventeenth century English playwright William Shakespeare’s tragic romance, Romeo and Juliet:

“That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

Garrett Kam Bali, 2010

Garrett Kam was born in Hawaii but has lived in Southeast Asia for nearly 25 years, mostly in Java and Bali. From the University of Hawai’i he received his bachelor’s degree in Textiles and Asian Art History in 1976, and his master’s degree in Southeast Asian History and Asian Theatre in 1987. As a Fulbright Grantee, Garrett researched ritual in Bali where he currently resides and is curator at the Neka Art Museum and also serves as the only non-Balinese ritual assistant and offerings maker at one of the island’s most important Hindu-Buddhist temples. He has authored many books, articles and catalogs on Asian visual and performing arts, especially those of Southeast Asia. In addition, Garrett has been curator of art exhibitions in Indonesia, the USA, Japan and Singapore. He also performs and teaches Javanese court dance and Okinawan dance.

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SONGS OF UBUD AGUNG RAI MUSEUM OF ART (ARMA)

Painter I Made Suarsa AR at work 18

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Supartha, I Made Flora & Fauna 1989 acrylic on paper 70 x 50 cm

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Asta, I Wayan Dancing Monkey (Tarian Kera) acrylic on canvas 90 x 121 cm

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Sana, I Gusti Putu Fable (Tanteri) acrylic on canvas 74 x 55 cm

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Gelgel, I Ketut Frogs (Kodok) acrylic on canvas 135 x 190 cm

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Gambir, Tjokorda Oka Bharata Yudha 1969 natural colour on cloth 113 x 140 cm

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Gambir, Tjokorda Oka (with Ida Tjokorda Ngurah Mayun) Ambassador Bayu Suta (Bayu Suta Duta) 1962 natural colour on cloth 140 x 113 cm

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Budiana, I Ketut The Death of Kumbakarna (Gugurnya Kumbakarna) 1994 acrylic on canvas 100 x 190 cm

Kayun, I Nyoman Exorcism (Pasupati) acrylic on canvas 56 x 40 cm

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Durus, I Wayan Sacrifice of Sita (Sita Satya) acrylic on canvas 135 x 60 cm 28

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Ding, I Dewa Ketut Arjuna Bertapa (Arjuna Doing Meditation) tempera on canvas laid down on board 137 x 124 cm

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Kobot, I Gusti Ketut The Fight of Arjuna and Karna (Arjuna dan Karna Tanding) acrylic on canvas 70 x 90 cm

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Madra, I Ketut Sacrifice of Sita (Sita Satya) acrylic on canvas 103 x 103 cm

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Ginarsa, I Ketut Raja Pala Story (Kisah Raja Pala) acrylic on canvas 102 x 62 cm

Ginarsa, I Ketut Arjuna Bertapa (Arjuna Doing Meditation) 2010 acrylic on canvas 90 x 70 cm

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Oka Wiri, Dewa Made The Death of Meganada (Gugurnya Meganada) 1979 acrylic on canvas 70 x 130 cm

Asta, I Wayan The Fight of Subali - Sugriwa (Pertarungan Subali - Sugriwa) 2005 acrylic on canvas 70 x 95 cm 35

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Madra, I Ketut Jatayu and Holy Water (Jatayu dengan Tirta Kamandalu) 2010 acrylic on canvas 95 x 150 cm 36

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Budi, I Made Cremation Prossesion (Prosesi Ngaben) acrylic on canvas 61 x 81 cm

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Rasna, I Made Melasti Prossesion (Melasti) acrylic on canvas 90 x 110 cm

Rai Suarsana, Anak Agung Gde Cremation Prossesion (Prosesi Ngaben) acrylic on canvas 98 x 67 cm 41

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Matra, I Wayan Melasti Prossesion (Melasti) acrylic on canvas 100 x 200 cm

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Kayun, I Nyoman Sanghyang Dance (Tari Sanghyang) Acrylic on Paper 30 x 22 cm

Naya, I Wayan Cremation Prossesion (Prosesi Ngaben) acrylic on canvas 120 x 90 cm

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Dirga, I Wayan Prossesions in Bali (Upacara di Bali) acrylic on canvas 110 x 200 cm 47

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Tapa, I Nyoman Prossesions in Bali (Upacara di Bali) acrylic on canvas 120 x 200 cm 49

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Kaler, I Wayan Melasti Prossesion (Melasti) 2001 acrylic on canvas 50 x 65 cm

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Tapa, I Nyoman Prossesions in Bali (Upacara di Bali) acrylic on canvas 70 x 90 cm

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Kaler, I Wayan Prossesions in Bali (Upacara di Bali) 2009 acrylic on canvas 100 x 150 cm 53

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Gelgel, I Ketut Melasti Prossesion (Melasti) acrylic on canvas 65 x 89 cm

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Sepi, I Ketut Cock Fight (Tajen) acrylic on canvas 52 x 80 cm

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Suparta, I Wayan Cock Fight (Tajen) acrylic on canvas 45.5 x 40 cm

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Meja, I Nyoman Cock Fight (Tajen) acrylic on canvas 65 x 95 cm

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Ridi, I Nyoman On the Way Home (Dalam Perjalanan Pulang) acrylic on canvas 75 x 56 cm

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Lesug, I Nyoman Traditional Market Scene (Pasar Tradisional) 2007 acrylic on canvas 97 x 71 cm

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Raka Pudja, Anak Agung Gde Balinese Traditional Market (Pasar Bali) acrylic on canvas 74 x 100 cm

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Lesug, I Nyoman Traditional Market Scene (Pasar Tradisional) 2003 acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm

Kayun, I Nyoman In the Rice Field (Suasana Sawah) acrylic on canvas 55,5 x 40.5 cm

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Rapet, I Wayan Harvesting (Memanen Padi) acrylic on canvas 90 x 140 cm

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Manggih, I Nyoman Harvesting (Memanen Padi) acrylic on canvas 61 x 81 cm

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Galuh, Ni Gusti Agung Balinese Village Scene (Suasana Desa di Bali) acrylic on paper 54 x 75 cm

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Wiranata, I Gusti Agung Balinese Village Scene (Suasana Desa di Bali) acrylic on paper 50 x 80 cm

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Kepakisan, I Gusti Agung Balinese Village Scene (Suasana Desa di Bali) acrylic on canvas 80 x 140 cm

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Sepi, I Ketut Harvesting (Memanen Padi) acrylic on canvas 120 x 200 cm

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Gelgel, I Ketut Daily Life in Bali (Kehidupan di Bali) acrylic on canvas 90 x 65 cm

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Kasta, I Ketut A Farmer (Petani) 2003 acrylic on canvas 125 x 65 cm Kasta, I Ketut Preparing Offering (Mempersiapkan Sesajen) 1998 acrylic on canvas 125 x 75 cm 72

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Ginarsa, I Ketut Fish Market Scene (Pasar Ikan) 2003 acrylic on canvas 100 x 120 cm

Matra, I Wayan Catching the Fox (Menangkap Musang) acrylic on canvas 105.5 x 70,5 cm 75

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Warsika, I Wayan Daily Life in Bali (Kehidupan Bali) acrylic on canvas 97 x 156 cm 77

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Budi, I Made Daily Life in Bali (Kehidupan Bali) acrylic on canvas 70 x 51 cm

Sadia, I Ketut Daily Life in Bali (Kehidupan Bali) acrylic on canvas 140 x 100 cm

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Sudana, I Ketut The Musicians (Penabuh) acrylic on canvas 90 x 140 cm

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Ridi, I Nyoman Enjoying coconuts (Minum Kelapa Muda) acrylic on canvas 118 x 118 cm

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Suparta, I Wayan Harvesting (Memanen Padi) acrylic on canvas 125 x 215 cm

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Djudjul, I Wayan Dress Up (Berhias) acrylic on canvas 97 x 97 cm

Djudjul, I Wayan Legong Dance (Tari Legong) acrylic on canvas 70 x 50 cm

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Sudana, I Wayan Baris Dance (Tari Baris) acrylic on canvas 150 x 100 cm 86

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Djudjul, I Wayan Baris Dance (Tari Baris) 1985 acrylic on canvas 150 x 100 cm 87

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Mendur, I Nyoman Dance Performance (Pagelaran Tari) acrylic on canvas 90 x 150 cm 88

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Sena, Ida Bagus Barong Dance (Tari Barong) acrylic on canvas 47 x 58 cm

Sena, Ida Bagus Shadow Puppets Show (Pagelaran Wayang) acrylic on canvas 69.5 x 51.5 cm

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Sudana, I Wayan Arja Dance (Tari Arja) acrylic on canvas 120 x 150 cm

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Kwanji, I Gusti Made Arja Dance (Tari Arja) acrylic on canvas 60 x 50 cm

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Anom Sukawati, Anak Agung Gde Bamboo Dance (Tari Joged Bumbung) acrylic on canvas 75 x 95 cm

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Anom Sukawati, Anak Agung Gde Bumblebee Dance (Tari Oleg Tambulilingan) 2009 acrylic on canvas 78 x 96 cm

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Suta, I Made Kids Dance Performance (Pementasan Anak-anak) acrylic on canvas 76.5 x 90 cm

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Suta, I Made Practising (Berlatih) acrylic on canvas 94 x 94 cm

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Artawa, I Made Bamboo Dance (Tari Joged Bumbung) acrylic on canvas 73 x 92 cm

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Naya, I Wayan The Tall Barong (Barong Landung) acrylic on canvas 65 x 90 cm

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Raka Pudja, Anak Agung Gde Dress Up (Berhias) 1999 acrylic on canvas 156 x 195 cm

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Anonim, Sacrifice of Sita (Sita Labuh Geni), natural color and ink on cloth, 139 x 160 cm

The catalog is published on the occasion of the exhibition Songs of Ubud at Agung Rai Museum of Art, Pengosekan, Ubud, Bali (19 June - 11 July 2010)

organized by:

supported by:

NYOMAN SUMERTHA Fine Art Gallery

TEBESAYA Gallery

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INDEXÂ OFÂ ARTIST

the number following the name of the artists indicates page numbers

Anom Sukawati, Anak Agung Gde Artawa, I Made Asta, I Wayan

94, 95

Naya, I Wayan

98 20, 34

Rai Suarsana, Anak Agung Raka Puja, Anak Agung Gde

Budi, I Made Budiana, I Made

Dirga, I Wayan Djudjul, I Wayan Durus, I Wayan

45, 99

40 61, 100

38, 78

Rapet, I Wayan

64

26

Rasna, I Made

41

Ridi, I Nyoman

59, 81

46 84, 85, 87 28

Galuh, Ni Gusti Agung

66

Gambir, Tjokorda Oka

24, 25

Sadia, I Ketut

79

Sana, I Gusti Putu

21

Sena, Ida Bagus Putu

90, 91

Sepi, I Ketut

56, 70

Sudana, I Ketut

80

Gelgel, I Ketut

22, 54, 71

Sudana, I Wayan

86, 92

Ginarsa, I Ketut

32, 33, 75

Supartha, I Made

19

Kaler, I Wayan

50, 52

Kasta, I Ketut

72, 73

Kayun, I Nyoman

27, 44, 63

Supartha, I Wayan

57, 82

Suta, I Made

96, 97

Tapa, I Nyoman

48, 51

Kepakisan, I Gusti Agung

68

Kobot, I Gusti Ketut

30

Warsika, I Wayan

76

Kwanji, I Gusti Made

93

Wiranata, I Gusti Agung

67

Wiri, I Dewa Made Oka

34

Lesug, I Nyoman

60, 62

Madra, I Ketut

31, 36

Manggih, I Nyoman

65

Matra, I Wayan

42, 74

Meja, I Nyoman

58

Mendur, I Ketut

88 103

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BIOGRAPHIES OF THE ARTISTS Anom Sukawati, Anak Agung Gde (b. Padang Tegal, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1966) He is son of Anak Agung Gde Raka Puja (Pita Maha Group).

His works has often been exhibited in Museum Bali, Denpasar, Taman Budaya, Denpasar and Musem Puri Lukisan, Ubud. His works are also inspired by I Nyoman Meja, with the green colour covering the paintings. His works are sometimes also exhibited in Jakarta.

Artawa, I Made (b. Padang Tegal, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1972) He is the brother of painter Wayan Sukadana. At first, he learned to paint by himself, later he took an intership with various artists such as I Made Sukarta, I Wayan Mangku Nomer and I Wayan Serati. But he found most comfortable learning from I Nyoman Meja. He then painted in Meja’s studio in Ubud’s Monkey Forest streets for years. His works inherited from Meja’s style fine, orderly and layered. He took Balinese daily lives within the lust vegetation and solemn landscape as the objects. He depicts merely happy scene. He participated in various exhibitions in Bali, Jakarta and Japan.

Asta, I Wayan (b. Taman Kaja, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1954) He began seriously learning to paint in 1967, under the guidance of his uncle, I Nyoman Meja, a famous Ubud painter. He has been awarded as a Finalists at National Painting Competitions

by Indofood Art Awards, 2002, and Indonesia Philip Morris Art Awards 1997. Asta was also selected in 1994 to participated in Jakarta International Fine Art Exhibition. He was also participated in exhibitions at Taman Budaya Art Center in Denpasar, Bali.

Asta’s works are collected by prominent collectors and many museums, including Indofood Art Museum-Jakarta, founded by Eva Riyanti Hutapea, when she was CEO of PT. Indofod Sukses Makmur Corporation.

He Studied under artists Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonnet. He was a member of the Pitamaha artists’ association. First etched illustrations on dried lontar (palmyra palm) leaves before he began painting on cloth. His works are based on literary themes and the natural world. In 1991 he was recognized by the regional government of Bali as a senior artist during the 13th Annual Bali Arts Festival in Denpasar. He received Wija Kusuma award in 1990 and Dharma Kusuma award in 1992. He has participated in exhibitions in Indonesia (Museum Nasional, Jakarta) in 1995 and in Japan (Indonesia-Japan Friendship Festival, Morioka, Tokyo) in 1997.

Dirga, I Wayan (b. Bongkasa, Bali, 1955) He has promising pupil, one of whom is I Wayan Suandi.

Regarded as a figure of Young Artist in his village. He exhibits at several art galleries.

Djudjul, I Wayan (b. Tebesaya, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1942) He studied art in Institute Technology of Bandung’s Art Department in 1960s. During his study in Bandung, his workks were influenced by modern art. He was in the same sclass with Sam Bimbo and Umi Dachlan. In 1969, he went back to Ubud (Bali) where he began exploring the Ubud traditional style that he had left forsometime but still considered as the root of his style. Djudjul shares the same passion on details with the pupils, among whom are I Wayan Tangkas, I Made Adi Antara and I Wayan Aryana Supartha. He married his deceased brother’s, I Ketut Djodjol’s, widow.

Durus, I Wayan (b. Banjar Tebesaya, Ubud, Indonesia, 1940) He was born into a family of artists. His father I Wayan Gerudug was a well-known Balinese painter. He learned painting intensively from his father and Tjokorda Oka Gambir.

Budi, I Made (b. Batuan, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia 1932) Besides as a painter, he also is a carver, musician, and dancer.

He combines traditional themes from Balinese religion and mytholoy with contemporary images of reality on the island.

He first popularized the ide of showing tourists in his works. He has had numerous exhibitions in USA and Indonesia. He was awarded Dharma Kusuma award in 1982. His works can be found at the Contemporary Museum (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Galuh, Ni Gusti Agung (b. Kapal, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1968) She learned painting from her father, a well known artist from the village of Kapal, West Bali and also from Walter Spies, from which she learned a lot about the use of color shade and light.

In 1995, she was invited to Koln, Germany from where she continued to travel to Europe, visiting museums and galleries to learn about European traditions of arts. She actively participated in many group exhibitions in Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia. since 1991.

Budiana, I Made (b. Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, 1959) He studied painting at Faculty of Fine Art and Design ISI (Institut Seni Indonesia) Yogyakarta. He has participated in many group exhibitions in Denpasar, Yogyakarta, and USA. His solo exhibition was first held in the Northern Territory Museum of Art and Sciences, Darwin, Australia. Among the awards won are from Indonesia Ministry of Education and Culture in 1978, ASRI Yogyakarta in 1980, and Pattisara Affandi Adhi Karya from ASRI Yogyakarta in 1985 - 1986.

Gambir, Tjokorda Oka (Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, 1902 - 1975) First learned from surroundings. In mid 1930s, joining Pita Maha organization in Ubud, he painted under the guidance of Rudolf Bonnet. He had a great number of pupils including I Gusti Ketut Kobot, I Wayan Barwa and I Wayan Durus all of whom have become famous artist. He was received Wija Kusuma medal from Gianyar Local Government in 1994.

Ding, Dewa Ketut (Padangtegal, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia, 1920 - Bali, Indonesia 1996)

Gelgel, I Ketut (b. Pengosekan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia) In mid 1970s, a new genre of paintings was developed in Pengosekan. This style of paintings pay attention on the natural

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world, which they descibe in detail and I Ketut Gelgel was a master of this new style.

Ginarsa, I Ketut (b. Tebesaya, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1953) He learned painting from I Wayan Djudjul from 1970-1973. His works predominantly illustrated the Goddess of Saraswati. This figure then is presented in numerous scenes. When participating in an exhibition at Bentara Budaya Jakarta in 1985, he featured Saraswati celebrating a baby’s 100 days celebration. In this picture, cheerful atmosphere is depicted with flying butterflies and blooming lotus. Dove as the symbol of peace added to complete the painting. His colours were inspiring. Beside Saraswati, Ginarsa also explores variety of subject including barong, legong dance, baris dance and Balinese daily live. He has joined many exhibitions such as Selaksa Daya Rupa in Jakarta in 2002. He has a potential pupil, I Nyoman Nurtika.

Kaler, I Wayan (b. Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1965) He sees I Wayan garung and Gerebig as his early mentors.

However, his mingling with senior figures of the Young Artist school like I Made Sinteg and I Ketut Soki, has caused his painting to absorb distintive influences. His paintings integrate the naive Sinteg and Soki styles. the detailed and intricate Ubud style, and the modern style with its attentiveness to perspective.

His works are cheerful in colors, yet tranquil in moods. The Fusion that Kaler invents attracts other painters to follow. This Kalerism was attractive to Bali art market in the late 1990s; the demand was high among cultural tourist. His works have been exhibited in Bai, jakarta and other cities abroad Kasta, I Ketut (b. Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1945) After graduated from elementary school, he learned painting under the guidance of I Ketut Djodjol from Tebesaya. Kasta works evidently show his characteristic and became an important element of Balinese traditional art scene. His subjects lingered around the daily life of Bali such as the market scene, legong dance barong, women doing bebanten or weaving cili-cili: all illustrated meticulously. His figures were drawn in wayang’s anatomy of elongated hands and feet in slender body. The impression of his figure is innocent. Some of his pupils are I Ketut Sundra, Ida Bagus Sugata, I wayan Joni and also his son, I Made Sudiarta. His works are exhibited in Bali, Jakarta, Singapore and various European cities.

Kayun, I Nyoman (b. Banjar Tengah, Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1954) He learned carving from I Wayan Alip in 1962. A year later, he learned painting fro I Gusti Made Kwanji. Tutorial lesson on art once received from Rudolf Bonnet, especially on colour and composition. He once participated in group exhibitions since 1970s, including the exhibitions in Balai Desa Peliatan, Lembaga Indonesia-Amerika in Surabaya, Museum Puri Lukisan (Ubud), Bali Museum (Denpasar) and Bentara Budaya Jakarta.

Kepakisan, I Gusti Agung (b. Bali, Indonesia, 1974) His works are often exhibited in Bali and Jakarta. He pursues his artistic career in Ubud, not in his home village, together with his siblings Wiranata and Galuh. Recently one of his works appeared

on the cover of the Museum Puri Lukisan exhibition catalog.

Kobot, I Gusti Ketut (Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1917 - 1999) He learned painting at Puri Peliatan from Tjokorda Oka Gambir.

In 1936, Bonnet taught him. He was also a member of Piita Maha and Ubud Painters Group. In 1978, he was awarded Certificate of Wijaya Kusuma from the regency of Gianyar.

Kwanji, I Gusti Made (b. Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1936) He joined Golongan Pelukis Ubud led by Rudolf Bonnet when he was 20 years old. He also learned painting from senior painters in his banjar. He was a mentor/painter with several successful students; among them was I Nyoman Kayun. The subject of his paintings mainly derived from mythology and folk tales. One of his paintings illustrating Rajapala was collected by Arma Museum (Ubud).

Lesug, I Nyoman (b. Kutuh, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1939) Started painting since 1953 under Ida Bagus Rai’s tutorial.

Beside as a painter, he also served as pemangku in the nearby temple. His works are meticulous and thorough featuring various scenes of Balinese daily live, especially Ubud natural scenery.

Lesug frequently exhibited in Bali Art Festival in Taman Budaya (Denpasar). His works are among the collections of Museum Puri Lukisan (Ubud), Neka Museum (Ubud), and Museum East West Centre (Honolulu). He participated in the Art of Bali Exhibition in East-West Centre in Honolulu (August - October 1988), and was asked to demonstrate his painting skill. Lesug has several pupils, among the emerging ones are Mangku Sayang, I Made Jiwa and I Made Madra.

Madra, I Ketut (b. Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, 1946) Since 1940s Ubud paintings have kept the inclination to secular themes, the worldly issues of the Balinese daily life. His paintings tend to go against the mainstream. He just offers the theme of wayang in classical decorative rendering. Scene from Bharatayudha and Ramayana are his favorite themes. He is the best pupil of Tjokorda Oka Gambir. His works are often exhibited in he country and abroad.

Manggih, I Nyoman (b. Tebesaya, Ubud, Bali, 1941) He completed his elementary school in 1955. He then learned painting with the guidance of I Ketut Djodjol foe eight years.

His works often feature scenes from myths and they have been exhibited in Bali and Jakarta.

Matra, I Wayan (b. Taman Kaja, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1962) His name is actually I Wayan Matra Arjana, But he is known as Matra, thus the name Arjana is not being used in his life. He lived in the same banjar as I Nyoman Meja, he then took an intern in Meja Studio around the Monkey Forest area in Ubud. He weriously paints since 1978. Exploring Meja’s style and tecnique, he created works depicting comical scene of daily life and filled with sensations. He frequently paints compositions of masks. His works are collected by serious Balines art collectors. Frequently exhibited in Museum Puri Lukisan (Ubud) and Taman Budaya (Bali). He paints with acrylic on canvas.

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He began hiis career as a Balinese traditional artist. After his encounter with Rudolf Bonnet, he began focussing his paintings on children and their world. He participated in a group exhibition in the Netherlands in 1975, and also in some cities in Indonesia.

His works could be found at several Museums in Bali. He is a finalist of Indofood Art Awards 2002.

Mendur, I Ketut (b. Bitera, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1933) He learned painting from I Wayan Karya and later from Ida Bagus Nadera. His works received acknowledgement from art experts, like Rudolf Bonnet who later chose Mendur work as part of the colletion for Neka Museum (Ubud). This particular piece often considered among the best pieces of Balinese traditional artworks, at that time was exhibited in Taman Budaya (Denpasar), 1974. Other work, Menjangan, was reproduced in Alison Taylor’s Living Traditions in Balinese Painting, a book published by Agung Rai Gallery of Fine Art. Many of his paintings have been exhibited in Jakarta various cities in the world.

Naya, I Wayan (b. Kutuh Raja, Petulu, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1972) He studied art in Art High School in Ubud. He was interested with the works of Ida Bagus Made Poleng from Tebesaya. Then he quietly learned from those works. Later on, he was enchanted with I Nyoman meja’s works. Naya’s subtle works feature various themes, such as the barong performance or ritual of the village illustrating. His works have often displayed in Museum Puri Lukisan (Ubud), Bali Art Festival (Denpasar) and other.

Raka Puja, Anak Agung Gde (b. Padang Tegal, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1932) He socialized with the member of Golongan Pelukis Ubud painters that influence his style of paintings from ordinary Ubud Traditional style to become more spatially. His figures were illustrated in realistic manner. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions. In 2005 his works were exhibited in Gianyar’s Art Exhibition at YDBA (Yayasan Dharma Bhakti Astra) Gallery, Jakarta. Some of his works are among the important works sought by various auction houses in Jakarta, Den Haag and Amsterdam.

Rapet, I Wayan (b. Tebesaya, Ubud, Bali, 1941) His paintings represents very well the decorativeness of Ubud style. In 1974, Rudolf Bonnet chose one of his works for the exhibition Different Aspects of Painting in Bali at Sanur Beach Hotel, Bali. Several museums, including Museum Neka, Ubud, have his works in their collections Ridi, I Nyoman (b. Penestanan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1945) He learned painting at the age of 9 from several painters who lived near by his house. In 1956, he intensively painted under the guidance of Rudolf Bonnet who lived in Campuhan-Ubud. This is why Ridi has left somehow ordinary traditional style.

Sadia, I Ketut (b. Batuan, Bali, Indonesia, 1966) He is a younger brother of the famous artist, I Wayan Bendi, whom he began to leared painting with. Sadia’s early works resemble Bendi’s, but in a later development, Sadia takes to use

bright colours, giving his paintings their “pop” looks. His works often exhibited in Bali and Jakarta.

Sana, I Gusti Putu (b. Bali, Indonesia, 1945) He began studying painting when he was in fourth grade at school with I Gusti Ketut Kobot. His father was a farmer and wood carver. His mother was the elder sister of Kobot, so he and I Dewa Putu Mokoh are first cousins. Early in his career, Sana was well known for paintings featuring frogs engaged in human activities such as surfing or driving cars, or flying kites.

Sena, Ida Bagus Putu (b. Tebesaya, ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1966) He started to paint seriously since he was 23, after learned the skill from his father, Ida Bagus Wiri, a Pita Maha alumni and a brother of Ida Made Poleng. Sena’s works are delicate dominated with earth colour. He has illustrated various themes of Balinese performing art scene and yoouth’s dynamic daily life. His works feature various figures in a small canvas, therefore the figures are presented in detailed. Sena’s works have been displayed in various important exhibitions including the one held in Museum Puri Lukisan.

Sepi, I Ketut (b. Tebesaya, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1942) He has been an orphan since he was a child and taken care of by his brother. In 1955, he graduated from the elementay school and later worked in Denpasar. Returning from Denpasar, he learned painting from I Wayan Turun for three years in 19541957. He later continued his painting lesson to Anak Agung Gede Dana in 1958. He joined the Purnama painter association in Peliatan and has held several exhibitions together with the association. At first he painted Balinese daily live and various mythology stories as the object of his painting. In mid 1960s, he received commission to paints bird within natural landscapes.

He then observed herons in Petulu area and illustrated them in his canvas. Eversince then, Sepi has been known as the painter of herron. Sepi’s works have been collected by Neka Museum (Ubud), Museum Puri Lukisan (Ubud), and Arma Museum. His works also have been displayed in various exhibitions in Jakarta, among them was the Santi Gallery’s Satwa dalam Estetika. His works were also displayed in overseas exhibitions.

Suarsa, I Made (b. Banjar Tebesaya, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1958) He learned painting under the guidance of I Wayan Bendi, I Wayan Djudjul and I Ketut Nama. there was a period when he used to work with I Ketut Nama in Ubud. His works often exhibited at Museum Puri Lukisan in Ubud, Bali and Bentara Budaya, Jakarta since 1980’s.

Sudana, I Ketut (b. Ubud, Bali, 1937) He began painting wayang by self-training at the age of ten.

Learned to paint from Ida Bagus Pugug for more ten years from 1954 through 1973. After that he learned from Rudolf Bonnet. In the 1970s Sudana had a number of pupils that included I Made Djongko from Keliki. Sudana’s son, I Made Palguna is now a modern painter educated at the Institute for the Art in Yogyakarta.

His works featuring elongated figures, often exhibited in Bali and

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Jakarta also in Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Italy, the USA and Japan.

Sudana, I Wayan (b. Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1966) Sudana began his painting education since he was ten, at Mr. Ketut Ginarsa’s house. In 1988 he continued study painting with Mr. I Wayan Djudjul. He has had solo exhibitions and has participated in a group exhibition at Bintara, Jakarta.

Suparta, I Wayan (b. Peliatan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1971) He learned painting since he was in elementary school with his friends until now, at Mr. I. Wayan Jujul’s house. He learned from I. Wayan Jujul and take Ubud traditional as a theme. He has participated in group exhibitions in Bali and Jakarta.

Suta, I Made (b. Tamankaja, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, 1960) He studied painting at Elementary School of Fine Art Denpasar.

Then, he continued his studies to Art and Literature Faculty, Majoring in Fine Art and Handcraft at IKIP PGRI Bali. He joined in some group exhibitions at Bali Art Centre, Neka Museum, Fukuoka, Japan, Puri Lukisan Ubud Museum and Grand Hyatt Nusa Dua Bali.

He learned to paint from I Nyoman Kebiarsa from 1974 to 1976.

After that he went to learn further from I Made Tubuh, a figure of batuan painting, for as long as eight years. His works are often exhibited in Bali.

Wiranata, I Gusti Agung (b. Desa Kapal, Bali, Indonesia, 1969) He grew up in an artist family, and known as a regeneration of Walter Spies stily with his own theme. Some of his works are collected by those who interested in art all over the world and also by museums in Bali, one of them is Puri Lukisan Ratna Warta wich was found by Rudolf Bonnet. Gusti A. Wiranata was a Finalist of Indofood Art Awards in 2002.

Wiri, I Dewa Made Oka (b. Pengosekan, Bali, Indonesia, 1964) A student of I Gusti Ketut Kobot. His painting has always been dealing with the theme of Wayang given bright colors. He is member of Pengosekkan Community of Artist.

Tapa, I Nyoman (b. Sayan, Ubud, Bali, 1959) His formal art background is Senior High School for Art. He exhibits at Museum Puri Lukisan, Ubud, Art Center Denpasar, Bali and several art galleries in Jakarta.

Warsika, I Wayan (b. Batuan, Ubud, Bali, 1957)

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ISBN 978-979-3774-25-1