Singapadu, a Village Creates Itself
Arts and Crafts from the village of Singapadu
At Griya Santrian Gallery, Jl. Danau Tamblingan 47, Sanur Tel: 7446588
Singapadu, a village at the western border of the Gianyar District, is known to many in Bali as ‘the barn of arts’. It is a village with a rich visual arts tradition. Evolving from the barong mask, the arts in this village have grown into sculpture and painting. The talented artists of this village have turned Singapadu into an art center with a great potential to add to the development of the Balinese visual arts.
The significance of visual arts in this village began to attract attention during the Singapadu Arts Festival, held in 2000. Over time, the visual arts scene of the village has developed significantly, due to the emergence of young artists who involve themselves in both traditional and contemporary forms. The people of Singapadu strongly believe in Ida Cokorda Api, an ancestor of the local royal house, as the first and the earliest mask maker in Singapadu. Some masks or replicas by this well-known artist have been kept and worshipped in many villages in south central Bali to the present time. Ida Cokorda Oka, of Banjar Sengguan, has proudly taken over the duty of his ancestor as barong maker, as well as making other forms of traditional masks. Cokorda Oka has also transferred his knowledge to a number of his assistants and pupils. Through long years of study with Cokorda Oka many talented artists have emerged, which make not only barong masks, but also costumes, puppets, headdresses for dance, and esteemed sacred sculptures.
In this extraordinary exhibition, entitled ‘Singapadu, a Village Creates Itself’, the artistic wealth of this village is prominently on display. It is a very comprehensive look at the arts and crafts of this village from the traditional to the modern. With so many excellent pieces on display it is difficult to mention them all, but some highlights include: The barong ‘Lembu Nandini’ by Cokorda Raka Sedana, which glitters with gold leaf, while, the Batu Palimanan stone sculpture ‘Kamasutra’, by Wayan Mariasa, shows a subtle eroticism. Many paintings from the village can be found in the traditional Batuan style, but modern canvasses, such as the works ‘Barong’ by Made Supena, and ‘Perjalanan’ by Komang Mariasa, display a growth into a contemporary approach, finding its inspiration in traditional forms.
The artists of Singapadu have mounted their best works in this exhibition, to be endorsed by the art community at large, who live on, or visit, the island of Bali. With their motto “never ending work”, the artists not only want to dedicate their talents to the art world, but also to help enrich the development of the arts in their home village, and that of Gianyar and Bali in general. One of their dreams is to develop an art museum, to house and display the exceptional work of this Balinese village. Let us hope that in the near future the artists of Singapadu will accomplish that dream. The proceeds of this exhibition will go towards that particular goal.
Timeless Change
Paintings and Jewellery from Adrian and Runi Palar
At Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Resort, Jimbaran Bay Tel: 701010
The juxtaposition of the works of an artistic couple, Runi and Adrian Palar, can be seen as a map of both their individual and shared aesthetics. A remarkable artistic journey that began at the Indonesian Pavilion of New York’s 1964 World Fair.
In 1970, Adrian encouraged Runi to experiment in designing silver jewelry to channel her creative energy. This was a radical idea, for silverwork had previously been the domain of men. Within a period of a decade, Runi’s startling designs made her one of Indonesia’s top jewelry designers. Adrian’s current paintings are complimented by a new collection of jewelry from Runi Palar. Her pieces, such as ‘Milky Way’ and ‘Rippling Stones’, personify her inherent sense of sophistication.
Adrian, a graduate of the arts faculty at Bandung’s Institute of Technology (ITB), began his studies as a painter, before switching to a course in design and interior architecture. Influenced by the De Stiji movement, and in particular Piet Mondrian, his paintings are purely non-representational, and due to his self-declared “fascination with the horizontal and vertical lines”, he restricts himself to straight lines and basic colors. His compositions are organized around a series of vertical and horizontal lines that overlap to form a grid. Color functions as a form of counter balance. He explores the subject of balance, equilibrium, and tension without recourse to a visual language of symmetry or regularity. Instead, the elements of the composition balance one another through contrast and counterpoint. The paintings are full of visual energy and gain their strength from their formal tautness. They are real objects of contemplation.
Although Adrian also ran an independent design firm, he never stopped painting. In 1970, he established, and exhibited, with DECENTA (Design Centre Association), the most seminal art association of the period. In spite of his busy schedule, painting remained for him “the best exercise to sharpen the eye and visual intuition. Through it I kept alive a visceral connection with my innate sense of aesthetics”. His gem-like canvasses are on show in this exhibition entitled ‘Timeless Change’. These works, such as ‘Timeless Change 28 and 32’, mirror the essence of a mature painting master, and are a pure expression of personal joy.
