A Woman in Mangu Putra’s Paintings

Woman (as a mother, or to become a mother) is liked by the painter as a painting object. They perform in various poses, starting with a beautiful dresses or until naked, it doesn’t matter if the woman is a model or not, it’s not a big deal.

Mangu Putra is a painter who loves to bring a woman into his paintings. In his solo exhibition in Jakarta, he exhibited many women figures in his paintings, mainly Balinese women.
With his painting entitled “Calon Ibu” (Mother-to-be), Mangu Putra depicts a Balinese woman in her advanced stage of pregnancy. She carries a basket full of laundry. In one of her hands she holds the basket, and the other holds a tiny and a large bag full of wet laundry. The water is dripping from the basket and bag, dampening her body that is wrapped in a white thin dress and a dingy red cloth. The background of this painting is dark-black.
In this painting, Mangu Putra didn’t intend to describe the beautifulness of a Balinese woman, but he wanted to present another side of a Balinese woman’s life, that indicates that she soon is to become a mother. In Mangu Putra’s eyes, the existence of a mother-to-be in Bali is truly rough.
From the very beginning she’s married, she will assimilate within her husband’s family, because marriage means some loss of freedom. Next, she gets pregnant. This is surely a burden for her, because now she has the responsibility not only to her child but to her husband too. Then, because they are poor, all the housework will be done on her own.
It’s been a public secret in Bali that the housework such as cooking, washing, and cleaning the house is the woman’s job. What a tough life for a mother-to-be.
In paintings entitled “Menjelang Upacara”, “Bikin Tumpeng”, and “Mengusung Pretima”, Mangu Putra expresses the role of a mother within the life of a community. This mother clan within each ceremonial occasion for example always gets the tough work. They prepare all the offering mediums for the ceremony, including the making of canang, banten, tumpeng, etc.
Not just that, but after the ceremony begins, they are also responsible to offer those sesajen (offerings). After that, they go home to prepare food for their family and carry out the routine housework like sweeping the yard, bathing the children, etc.
Here, Mangu Putra does not accuse anybody, but wants to convey a Balinese woman’s life. Maybe that woman is a part of everyday life and can be called upon at anytime. Mangu Putra is a young painter who has a sensitive soul. He is touched at ease to watch something, and usually responds to it with feeling. When feeling and rationale commingle, then a fresh aesthetic taste arises. The fresh thought is then poured on to a canvas to create a painting that visually tells a story. (BTN/Gung Man)

Men Brayut and Lempad

In Balinese folklore, Men Brayut is a mother who has a lot of children. This becomes the inspiration of the artist such as the Balinese painter and carver. Balinese carvers describe the figure Men Brayut as surrounded by plenty of her children. Some suckle on her breast, some are hanging on her shoulder, some are crying, and some are fighting with their brothers.
A Balinese painter named Gusti Nyoman Lempad (the late), frequently described Men Brayut in his paintings. In the Neka Museum, Ubud, there are 10 of his paintings that have been collected describing Men Brayut. This Balinese legendary painter had a special style in expressing his feelings. Even though working together with Rudolf Bonnet (painter from Holland) and also with Walter Spies, his works still performed his strong personality that has roots in Balinese art culture. He has a flexible streak and flow as if articulate in forming an entity.
Besides a painter, Lempad is an undagi (Balinese traditional architect) and talented sangging (a ceremonial performer); other abilities include Balinese traditional architecture, an excellent carver, barong maker, and equipment maker for ngaben (cremation ceremony). He is a Pita Maha member, a painter association in Ubud.
Gusti Nyoman Lempad was born in 1862 and died on his 116th birthday, on the 25th April 1978. Lorne Blair and John Darling already document his life and works in a documentary film in association with the ABC TV television network (Australia). The film is entitled “Lempad of Bali,” and received an award for the best documenter film at the 26th Asia Film Festival in Yogyakarta.
(Suteja Neka)
Director of Dharma Seni Art Foundation which manages the Neka Art Museum, Ubud-Bali

Lady Artist

KUTA – An Indonesian lady artist, Diany Asmina Sinung will present her solo painting exhibition for 3 months at Kuta Paradiso Hotel, starting from Novemver 2003 until January 2004. Diany A. Sinung was born in Blitar, 22 September 1959. She has held hundreds of exhibitions both solo and group in an outside Indonesia. Her strong desire in learning painting led her to stay in Bali. This time she will display a special session of portrait paintings with a range of beautiful bronze statues for your fine collection at The El Patio Coffee House. (BTN/*)