Balinese Masks: Spirits of an Ancient Drama by Judy Slattum and Paul Schraub

The great variety of Bali’s masks, many of them sacred and rarely  displayed, and the dance performances within which they  appear,  are  superbly  represented in this new  edition of Judy Slattum’s Balinese Masks.
 
Balinese masked dancing (wayang topeng) will probably be one of the most impressive spectacles the visitor will ever see and remember when visiting the island. In all, there are over 40 kinds of masked dances, though only around a dozen are performed regularly, each a  composite of not only dance but drama, music, spoken poetry, opera and song.
 
Masked performances are an ancient and integral part of Balinese rituals, much more than mere spectacles for   audiences. The masks serve as both visual aids in the portrayal of Bali’s courtly legends and as harnessers of invisible forces. As members of their own village communities, the masks are given a chance to "speak" and be entertained by their human servants in parades and temple ceremonies.
 
Only first class artisans carve the masks used in Bali’s theatre performances. Maskmaking is a thriving business especially around Mas and Singapadu, the two mask-  making centers of Bali where scores of maskmakers live and work.
 
The traditional maskmaker is not just a woodworker but someone who creates works of art. The carver must not only possess great skill but also a meditative turn of mind and a profound scholarly knowledge. First the wood is selected for the particular mask, a strong, low-density, lightly colored wood of the balsam family called pule (Alstonia scholaris).
 
The maskmaking process is arduous. The carver sits crosslegged on a mat holding the mask with the feet and, making confident swift strokes, first carves an outline of the face, then begins work on such facial details as hair, curls, wrinkles, frowns, scowls and leering grimaces.
 
A full day is often spent sanding the mask to satin-smoothness with sandpaper and the split ends of bamboo. Up to 30 coats of paint are meticulously applied, then mother of pearl teeth, goatskin, eyebrows and moustaches and real pig’s fangs finish the mask off and bring it to life.
 
Balinese masks are elaborately decorated with real hair, bright colors, bulging eyes and hinged jaws. The expressiveness of the face is paramount; the topeng carver must be familiar with all the typical movements that the performer of each topeng makes so that his character can be portrayed by the mask's expression.
 
Of the 30-odd topeng masks – from dashing lords to bucktoothed clowns - some are full-faced which prevents speaking and some are half-faced which allows speaking. Colors also indicate personality – red or black masks depict a powerful rival with full face and large features, while more refined white masks are usually reserved for a king and his queen. It is the eyes which must radiate the soul of the character; only one mask in perhaps 50 can achieve this power.
 
The spectacular detail and craftsmanship of many of Bali’s most powerful masks – both past and present – are revealed in Paul Schraub’s stunning photographs, together with an informed text by Judy Slattum on their artistry,   symbolism, religious significance and manufacture.
 
The author writes frequently about Bali and conducts cultural tours of the island with her Balinese husband, I Made Surya, a skilled Balinese mask dancer and carver. Among her impressive credentials, Judy Slattum was the curator of the Balinese Traditional Masks Exhibition during the 1991 "Festival of Indonesia."
 
A forward by Hildrd Geertz, Professor of Anthropology at Princeton University and a famed Balinist, further explains the significance of the masks and their role in Balinese village life.
 
Balinese Masks will be sure to take readers on a fascinating visual, spiritual and dramatic journey into the sacred masked dance dramas of Bali which are at the very center of Balinese life.
 
Balinese Masks: Spirits of an Ancient Drama by Judy Slattum and Paul Schraub published by Periplus 2003, ISBN 0-7946-0075-1.
 
Available for Rp225,000 at Periplus Bookshops in the Bali Galleria and in the Matahari in Kuta, Warung Made in Seminyak, Ngurah Rai Airport (both international and domestic terminals), Keris Gallery in Nusa Dua and in Gramedia Bookstores.
 
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Copyright@2004 PakBill
 
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