Drs Ketut Murdana, M.Sn.:
More Excellent Painting Work in PKB XXV

The art exhibition still gains attention from the committee of Pesta Kesenian Bali (Bali Arts Festival) XXV, 2003 as shown by the appointment of Drs. Ketut Murdana, M.Sn. as the section head of the painting exhibition. Now, he officiates as First Chief Assistant of Sekolah Tinggi Seni Indonesia (STSI) - Indonesian Arts Institute - Denpasar. Ketut Murdana is an alumnus from the Fine Arts Department of Udayana University, Denpasar, and obtained his Masters degree from the Fine Arts Department of Bandung Technology Institute, West Java.
Ketut Murdana, who was born in Bitera, Gianyar, 19 September 1957, said that this year’s fine arts exhibition was planned of this sort. It means that the participants are creative artisans whose work can be accounted for. The committee invites all painters in Bali to take part, such as fine arts studio, fine arts education institutions and many famous painters.
As the exhibition chief, Ketut Murdana hopes that all the painting potential in Bali can be represented in this exhibition. At least, later in this exhibition, the audience will able to see the different styles and shapes of the fine arts that exist and develop in Bali. All styles can be seen from the Classical Painting Art of Kamasan Style, Traditional Painting Art of Ubud, Puppet Painting Art of Naga Sepaha, Buleleng, Painting Art style of the Young Artists, Panestan, the Painting Art style of Pangosekan, the Painting Art style of Batuan, up to contemporary art.
The husband of Drs. Ni Made Rinu, a painter herself, and father to one son, realizes that the number of participants in the painting exhibition is always increasing. Therefore, he is forming a selection team who will later officiate to choose and decide the appropriate work.
As both a painter and teacher, Ketut Murdana wants this PKB fine arts exhibition to achieve excellence in quality. ‘Besides that, the exhibition information in the form of a catalogue and work display will be given more serious attention,’ he said, ending his interview with Bali Travel News. (BTN/010)

I Nyoman Nikanaya:
Stage and Lighting is Important

Although he is only the stage manager for PKB 2003, I Nyoman Nikanaya takes his job very seriously. He is very serious in preparing PKB so that all of its performances will be focused in the Bali Arts Center area, Nusa Indah Street, Denpasar. ‘Stage and lighting is the support for staging a show,’ he said to Bali Travel News.
Nikayana, who is also head of Bali Arts Center, was busy checking for a few stages there. ‘I hope all of this facility can be used well, so the artists and the audience will be comfortable watching the show each night,’ said the father with a son and 3 grandsons.
He explained that besides preparing the stage, in each performance, the lighting and sound system play important parts. Because of this, the former Principal of Sekolah Menengah Seni Rupa (SMSR) (Fine Arts High School Denpasar) concentrates all of his attention on it. His team is also preparing the place for semiloka (seminar & workshop)/ sarasehan, places for several arts event and exhibition places.
Regarding the exhibition, the public and artisans of Bali have already shown a good response. This is proved with the increasing number of requests for the exhibition places each year. ‘In previous years the highest number of participants was about 140. Now it has increased to become 204 participants. The shape and kind of handicrafts are also getting better and better. The participants are not only from Bali and outside Bali but also from foreign countries,’ he said.
The 25th PKB, which will opened by President Megawati Soekarnoputri, is expected to get better and better, especially the stage arrangement. ‘It means that the previous mistakes can be reduced,’ said the man who sprung from Munggu Village, Badung in 1950, while adding that this year PKB will perform more contemporary arts than in previous years.
Referring to the previous PKB’s, the show was often performed at night, so that lighting facilities had to be prepared, including cooperating with PLN (Perusahaan Listrik Negara), the State Electricity Company. ‘This year PKB is drawing 8,700 Balinese, other Indonesian and foreign artists. For that I expect that all of this Bali Arts Center area will be able to function well,’ he said, ending the conversation with Bali Travel News. (BTN/015)

I Gusti Bagus Yudhara, MBA
Sixteen Years Managing ASITA

A week before finishing his position as ASITA Director (Association of Indonesian Travel Agencies) in Bali, I Gusti Bagus Yudhara launched his biography entitled “Meniti Karier from Puri Suling”, at his house in Sanur. Yudhara shares his experiences of managing ASITA over the last 16 years.
During this reformation era, many professions and political organization were separated, but under Yudhara’s management, ASITA remained a solid organization. Besides being ASITA director, Yudhara also often managing PATA Bali Chapter, Bali Tourism Board (for 2 years), and was also active in Kadin Bali.
Yudhara took his higher-level studies in Surabaya, East Java. After finishing his Bachelor in Law at Airlangga University (UNAIR) Surabaya, Yudhara directed by his father became involved in the tourism world. “I wanted to continue my studies, but the political situation of G 30 S/PKI was an excuse for my father to keep me in Bali,” he said. His father, IGP Merta, the official Governor of Bali and DPRD leader of Bali (1950-1965), got him involved into tourism. Yudhara began work as an Assistant Manager of Puri Suling Restaurant, in Goa Gajah, Ubud.
From Puri Suling Restaurant, Yudhara’s career in tourism began. After working for Puri Suling, he gained more experience as a hotel employee in Bali Seaside Cottages (now it is a part of the Grand Bali Beach Hotel), then worked as staff of PACTO Bali and then as the Branch Manager of PACTO Yogyakarta in the 1970’s. “At that time, tourism in Yogyakarta was beginning to develop,” said Yudhara. After his return from Yogyakarta, Yudhara founded a travel agency that is now his own PT Astina Tours.
This book of “Meniti Karier from Puri Suling” also tells Yudhara’s love story with his wife, Tjok Istri Sri Ramaswati, who is now the Rector of Mahasaraswati University. “My wife is my perfect discussion partner for any kind of topics, especially of course tourism and culture,” said the father of five children.
Beside that, it also tells Yudhara’s life story as an Honored Consul of Mexico, the country that is popular with its Telenovela. “After Maria Mercedes came to Indonesia including Bali, Mexico is becoming more well known by the society,” said Yudhara, while adding that since the 1930’s actually there was a corporative contact between Bali and Mexico, specially through the promotion by the Mexican painter and writer, Miguel Covarribus.
His job position as ASITA director and Honored Consul are supported each other of Yudhara’s participation in developing the tourism especially and the development of Bali generally. “Even though not longer ruling any profession organization, I will still consistence in giving a contribution for development of Bali, which now are facing many local, national, even global challenges,” said Yudhara. (BTN/004)