The ‘Spirit of Bali’ Painting Exhibition At the Damping Gallery Ubud

Coincided with its inauguration, the Damping Gallery Ubud held an exhibition involving 25 selected painters from in and outside Bali. The selected ones are those who have worked or taken their inspiration from Bali. This exhibition, entitled ‘Spirit of Bali’, put on show 39 paintings of several styles and schools that could offer a new oasis to appreciators to enjoy quality works amongst the many galleries in Ubud.

The twenty five painters are Made Djirna, Nyoman Erawan, Nyoman Sukari, Wayan Redika, Made Kedol, Krijono, D. Tjandra Kirana, Putu Sutawijaya, Wayan Sujana (Suklu), Nyoman Sujana (Kenyem), Made Duatmika, Wayan Bawa Antara, Wayan Sadu, Gung Man, Waya Ridi, Gusti Agung Galuh, Ketut Susena, Made Supena, Wayan Sumantra, Joko an Bawa Antara, Wayan Sadu, Gung Man, Waya Ridi, Gusti Agung Galuh, Ketut Susena, Made Supena, Wayan Sumantra, Joko KS, Wolfgang Widmoser, Mangku Mahendra, Polenk Rediasa, Anas Etan and Wayan Sudiarta.
The exhibition was officially opened by the Ambassador of Czech Republic to Indonesia, Jaroslav Vesely by making a brush sketch on canvas, Thursday (28/12). It will take place up to 28 January 2007 and is open to the public.
This was said by Wayan Sutarma who is active collecting quality paintings to be exhibited in his gallery. Additionally, he showcased the works of Balinese traditional artists as an embodiment of art and cultural preservation. “Damping Gallery is raised due to our intense concern towards the Balinese fine arts that has become one of the barometers of development of fine arts in Indonesia,” he utters.(BTN/015)

Krisna Gallery
Balinese Traditional Painting Exhibition

Lately, there are many galleries appearing in numbers on Bali. One of them is Krishna Gallery at Mas Village—Ubud, not far from Rudana Museum. Establishment of this gallery is marked with Balinese traditional painting exhibition entitled ‘Balinese Tradition Heading for the Peak’.

According to the owner of the gallery, Wayan Gede Susana, development of traditional painting in Bali in recent times virtually comes into extinction. This school is run over by rapid development of modern (abstract) style of which painters has obtained formal education at college of fine arts.
However, Suasana immediately responds towards this condition so such extinction will not happen. He organizes an exhibition presenting tens of quality Balinese traditional paintings. Just have a look at the work of painter Kadek Catrawan, Gede Ngurah Panji, Nengah Widnyana, Wayan Sulendra, Made Suanda, I Gusti Made Kwanji, Wayan Dolik and some others. Those paintings are sold at prices starting from IDR 9 million to hundreds of millions. The exhibition takes place until 16 January 2007.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister for Tourism and Culture Jero Wacik and three paintings were purchased by foreign tourists on its opening day. “This indicates that Balinese traditional painting remains to get favoured,” Suasana told Bali Travel News.
(BTN/Yan Beryas)

Wayan Beratha Yasa
Growing Older, Getting More Vivacious

Ten painters, coalesced into the Gallery VIII of Bali Travel News (BTN), held a co-exhibition at the Bali Tropic Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua. The exhibition, carried out in conjunction with the eight anniversary of BTN, was inaugurated by the Head of Badung Government Tourist Office, Drs. Made Subawa, representing the Regent of Badung, Sunday (19/11). It transpires until the upcoming 19th of December.
The 40 paintings exhibited, belong to several schools of painting styles, such as naturalism, decorative, cubism, naïve, modern and contemporary. The ten painters are Wayan Beratha Yasa, Ida Bagus Alit, Cok. Udiana NP, I.G.P.A. Mirah Rahmawati, Cokorda Raka, I Nyoman Sudarma, I Nyoman Suyasa, Made Murdika, I Wayan Mardika and Ida Ayu Ega Rahayuni.
Attendees present on the opening session were the Public Relation Division Head of the Badung Regency Putu Eka Merthawan, Deputy Director of Indian Cultural Centre Awanish Tiwari, owner of Bali Tropic Resort & Spa Jero Gede Karang along with management, tourism practitioner I.B. Lolec, gallery owners in Ubud and foreign tourists.
In his speech Mr. Subawa observed that such an event was significantly positive. By the execution of art painting, it was expected that the tourists would come again to visit this Island of the Gods. "At the same time, this activity can become a significant forum of tourism promotion for Bali that remains listless so more local events as this are highly required," he stated firmly. (BTN/015)

Suyasa
Working is Yajna

Proud and happy, these feelings were felt by I Nyoman Suyasa, a young painter from Langon Hamlet, Kapal Municipality, Mengwi—Badung. The reason is that when he joined the exhibition at the Bali Tropic Resort & Spa, a modern style painting of his was selected and collected by a foreign visitor. “Selling my painting is a normal thing. But when it is selected by tourists, it is rare,” he said.
According to him, at the time Gallery VIII of Bali Travel News was officially opened, his painting has been marked by a foreign tourist. Though I have not seen that buyer in person, he admitted to pay tribute to God. “At that time, I was in Yogyakarta. This information was delivered by my father,” he added.
This man from Badung, born on 16 July 1976, is really creative. His spirit in the work of arts always gets encouraged just like high flames. Within a day, he never has leisure time. He himself has his own principle “sold or not he will persist on working.” To him, working is a yajna (holy sacrifice), so when making his works of art he does not always hope for its proceeds.
Seemingly, his hobby at painting was inherited from his father, Wayan Beratha Yasa. As his father, Nyoman Suyasa also liked drawing since he was in primary school and then he resumed his study to senior high school of fine arts. During his activity in painting, he once received an award as the best painting on the Bali wide Senior Vocational School Fair (1995). And by his graduation he received the Supersemar scholarship for a year.
Based on his strong will and perseverance, Suyasa finally studied at Faculty of Fine Arts, the Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) Yogyakarta (1996). During his study, he often made his time to join the exhibitions with Sanggar Dewata artist’s community of the ISI Yogyakarta in Jakarta, Yogyakarta and Bali. He originally focused on naturalistic style, but after he graduated on 6 March 2004, Suyasa ultimately got involved in modern or abstract style with the material of oil paint on canvas.
Aside from painting, Suyasa also taught on drawing subject at Bantul Elementary School Yogyakarta armed with his teaching certificate qualification. In years to come, he plans to take postgraduate program so he could become a lecturer.
(BTN/015)

Sculpture Arts Exhibition at Bajra Sandi

Anumber of students, lecturers and alumnus of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, the Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) Denpasar of Sculpture Department exhibited their works at the Balinese People’s Struggle Monument—Bajra Sandi, Denpasar from 26 December 2006 to 2 January 2007. Eighty works of art made from wood, metal and ceramic were on show taking the theme ‘Tradition and Creativity’. Rector of the ISI Denpasar, Prof. Dr. Wayan Rai S., M.A. officially opened the exhibition. (BTN/Yan Beryas)