Foreign Painters within Balinese Fine Art

The development of Balinese fine art actually could have never flourished without the help from Western artists who stayed and lived for years in Bali. Love them or not, as civilized beings, no matter how small their part was , we should appreciate their role. In reality, they basically got influenced by Balinese nature, Balinese arts, and social Balinese life. It was clearly seen from works, which visibly depict the entire aspects.

Rudolf Bonnet’s paintings, as an example. Since his coming in Bali, he painted the natural panorama or portrait of the Balinese face with European style. For years having contact with Balinese society, finally Bonnet’s paintings were much congealed with the Balinese nuance. Appearing within the face painting that appoints a Balinese figure with a strong Balinese character.
It was different with Walter Spies’ paintings which are totally surrealistic. Walter Spies’ style looks perfect with the Balinese nature of the past. These paintings describe dark and light shades with high contrast. Depiction of trees or humans is dramatized well with the insertion of elongated shadows making his paintings store much uniqueness.
The role of Balinese painters, especially in Ubud, is very significant. They taught the local painters about human body anatomy, light-shadow, perspective, and ex-factory colors. They had brought many influences of Balinese fine art around Ubud at that time. They also got influenced by Bali’s nature which purportedly is just like a lost heaven.
Then, we have Arie Smit, a Dutch painter who preferred to become an Indonesian Citizen. He possessed a great role in developing fine art in Bali, especially in Panestanan, Ubud. The well famed ‘young artist’ painting style is recognized today as his effort in teaching children in Panestan how to paint with acrylic colors. The peasant kids of Panestanan village, would never imagine that they would have the opportunity to become a painter, were motivated by Arie Smit. He was willing to give painting tools for free to the kids.
Then, their paintings were exchanged for money by Arie Smit. Arie Smit’s motivation surely aptly worked. It proved then that many other kids accompanied their parents in coming to his house and learn painting.
Now, Arie Smit’s paintings shows a Balinese characteristic. He mostly uses objects such as temples, farmlands, and sea panoramas with bright color popular with many collectors.
Lately, many foreign painters stayed and lived in Bali while painting. They do not much interact with society, so none of such influence happened. They disposed to stay, or live in Bali only for painting in their own style.
This last mentioned painter is impressed more rather then the local painter. It could happen because foreign painters are considered more formidable, so their paintings are more valuable rather than that of locals. What ever they had done, obviously the renewal of Balinese painting would have never happened again without the help from Rudolf Bonnet, Walter Spies and Arie Smit. (BTN/Gung Man)

Naturalist, Painting Style of Ngurah Merta

The painter I Gusti Ngurah Merta (60) is occupied with the naturalist painting style, even though the abstract painting style is more popular in each exhibition, where a painter always performs with the abstract style leaving the naturalist style far behind.

Ngurah Merta said recently to Bali Travel News at his house, as well as his gallery, in Carangsari village, North Badung that not all painting collectors were fond of the abstract type, many of them are still fanatically in the naturalist or realist style.
He said, as a novice painter he should be capable to paint in naturalist way surrounding objects, whether humans with correct anatomy proportions, or natural panoramas and other things.
He put Affandi, the late great painter, as an example. He (Affandi) was known as the abstract painter all of his life. At first, he was occupied with the naturalist style. In his old age, perhaps getting bored with the naturalist style, moved to the expressive-abstract style.
As it is said as an expressive-abstract painter , Affandi paints very quickly. However, what is poured on canvas is still clearly seen, because when he paints, he targets an apparent object, for example cock-fighting, barong dance, visits to the temple, etc. while painting, Affandi directly faced on the object, so he develops a characteristic style.
For Ngurah Merta, even in his old age, he is still occupied with the naturalist style with the theme of traditional markets in early times. His paintings always described buyers and merchants (women or men), women with naked breasts. With dark brown coloring, his paintings are sought by locals and foreign collectors from Holland, Germany, and Europe. Once, he sold a painting for Rp. 25 Million the highest price, and Rp. 1 million as the lowest price.
Ngurah Merta’s Studio is located about 3 km from Sangeh or 28 km to north of Denpasar. It is not too big, but with a farmland nuance and gorgeous natural panorama around and breezy air near the mountain side, this studio is certainly the best site for resting.
His gallery does not only store naturalist paintings, but also many of abstract style. Who is the painter? He is one of his sons, Ngurah Widiana, who just graduated his study at the Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI Denpasar). Just come and visit the gallery when visiting Sangeh Sanctuary Forest.
(BTN/Yan Beryas) )

Aichi Expo 2005
Farmer’s Sons to Promote in Global Markets

Everyone would be proud if his works can compete in the global market. So would I Made Ada, a sculptor and craftsman of Garuda Vishnu who was born at Pakuduwi village, Tegalalang, Gianyar. This year, he will obtain again an opportunity from the government of Indonesia to demonstrate his expertise at sculpting and carving the Garuda Vishnu statue at such an international exhibition, Aichi Expo 2005 in Japan takes place from 25 March to 25 September 2005. This Aichi Expo 2005 concurrently takes Made Ada, a Balinese farmer’s son to take action in the global market.

Such a grand expo that is categorized into a universal one is parallel to Tsukuba Expo, Japan (1985), Vancouver Expo, Canada (1986), Sevilla Expo, Spain (1992) and Hanover Expo, Germany (2000).
I Made Ada together with his two children, Ni Luh Putu Intan (26) and Nyoman Gede Darmawan (22) will demonstrate works namely sculpting, carving and coloring the Garuda Vishnu statue measuring 125 cm x 75 cm x 50 cm. Children and father collaborate in a spectacular work at the international stage and watched by thousands attendants that throng the Pavilion of Indonesia at Aichi Expo 2005, Japan. Made Ada and his son, Nyoman, will sculpt and carve the left and right wing, while Putu Intan will color the entire statue after being carved.
To Bali Travel News, during the preparation of his departure to the Aichi Expo, Made narrated that this momentum was very appropriate for him to promote his works that he has been deeply involved in for 35 years, as well this Expo constitutes the right vehicle to promote Bali as the warehouse of Indonesian art and culture.
To make their work easier in Japan, he and his children have prepared everything from Bali. Apart for bringing the half-made Garuda statue, they will also bring along with them tools like hammers, chisels and dye. “We also bring sandpaper from Bali because by doing so, the process of demonstration from the beginning to the end will run without obstacles considering the time allotted is very limited,” said Ada.
The Aichi Expo 2005 themes Natures Wisdom and is located at Seto City, Nagakute Towns, Toyota City. (BTN/013)

I Made Ada in His Family’s Eyes

The passage of one’s life, profession and career is indeed inseparable from destiny and the secrets of God, apart from preserving, and self-shielding. We are as humans covered by restrictions and sometimes we do not realize the role of God. It was this expression that commenced the rendezvous and became prologue of Bali Travel News on making a visit to the Gallery of I Made Ada (57) located at Pakuduwi village, Tegalalang, 10 km from Ubud or 50 km from Denpasar. At this sub village, I Made Ada with his family started his business as a sculptor of Garuda Vishnu, following the footprints of his father.

Pakuduwi village, seemingly, is predestined to be a warehouse for artists (painters, sculptors and craftsmen). Along the journey to this village, is scattered various kinds of art shops and show rooms that display the works of art of the villagers. Leading to this village, our eyes are also be pampered with the view of verdant rice fields— known as rice terraces—stretching along the journey.
In 1969, Made Ade completed his study at elementary school. Due to his family’s poor situation he had initiative to help his father, I Nyoman Kampih, a traditional architect who made Garuda sculptures and ornaments of Balinese style. Due to his perseverance and diligence, Made Ada with the assistance of his father, his Garuda sculptures came to be very popular among the locals, Indonesian, and even foreign tourists.
By his work, Made Ada became a celebrated figure. In 1981, the President of the Republic of Indonesia Soeharto visited his house and also his gallery at Ceking Tegalalang. He did not think if the number one man of this republic would call to his house. “I did not think previously, probably it was my destiny,” he said modestly. The presence of President Soeharto then, became a momentum of the flying flag of Made Ada in the arena of sculpting art both nationally and internationally.
His dream came true when President Soeharto invited him to demonstrate the making of the Garuda statue in front of the US President Ronald Reagan and Madame Nancy Reagan at Nusa Dua, Bali in 1983. His star kept on shining, two years later in 1985, the Garuda Indonesia representative in Vienna, Austria invited and sponsored Made Ada to demonstrate his expertise at carving and sculpting a statue in several countries like Budapest (Hungary), Vienna and Sesberd and in the same year, he was sent to Tokyo and Fujiyama by Bumi Putra Insurance for the same program. (BTN/014/013)