Before the 1920's and 1930's Balinese painting was limited to religious applications, calendars and Wayung Kulit: leather shadow puppet theatre. The subject matter of the paintings were charactarized by serialized stories about religion or classical Hindu-Bhuddist culture. The main use of painting was as adornment for temples and collections by local rulers. The paintings illustrated many scenes of a story on a single, large canvas, giving the pieces a crowded and busy texture, but telling a story from beginning to end.
Everybody may agree that Bali is indeed fortunate in having such a rich cultural heritage and natural splendor. Blessed more compared to other islands of Indonesia, including with its art life, the island is just like a spring never runs out of water. The island gave birth to a great number of talented artists, and probably still does so to artists of the new generation. Just briefly take a look at Ubud. You will be engulfed by a creative energy that inspires local and visiting artists in the place better known as artist village. Having done so, you may tend to match it up to Yogyakarta which is known as centre of academic arts or Bandung which during the 60th and 70th was popularly known as western art laboratory.
The emergence of Ubud as an international Centre for the Arts happened during the 1920's and 1930's. This was in large part due to the insight and energy of the King of Ubud at that time, Cokorde Agung Sukawati, who acted as a great patron of the local Balinese arts.
Although art has been created for its own sake throughout history, Commerce has always played an important part in sustaining growth. In traditional Balinese painting, where the use was ceremonial or religious, the art-form was in steep decline before the introduction of the Pita Maha Artists Cooperative and its development of alternative markets. The Pita Maha's influence on the content of Balinese painting also made the output more marketable due, in part, to it's simpler topics. Traditional Ramadan paintings told a story that most westerners would not be able to decipher, but scenes of everyday life in Bali were more easily identified, and appreciated for their simplicity.
Meanwhile in Gianyar regency developed art tradition with different styles. They painted wayang style, demons and magical figures taken from old Bali folklore and Hindu legends. Later they used modern technique and material for coloring. This in part, because of suggestions from some expatriate artists who visited and lived around Ubud village at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Everybody may agree that Bali is indeed fortunate. Blessed more compared to other islands of Indonesia, including with its art life, the island is just like a spring never runs out of water. The island gave birth to a great number of talented artists, and probably still does so to artists of the new generation. Just briefly take a look at Ubud. You will be engulfed by a creative energy that inspires local and visiting artists in the place better known as artist village. Having done so, you may tend to match it up to Yogyakarta, known as centre of academic arts or Bandung which during the 60th and 70th was popularly known as art western art laboratory.
Dewa’s grandfather, Dewa Kompiang Penangin, was born in Desa Bandung in Pejeng. He was a revered master sculptor and undagi (temple architect) whose consecrated sculptures and Barong Macan are housed in the village’s Pura Kayangan Tiga. Dewa Penangin’s statues can also be found in other sacred meditative sites and temples that he renovated along the western belt of the Pakerisan River that flows through Tampak Siring, Gunung Kawi and other sacred areas that were established during the spread of Hinduism-Buddhism in Bali. He also collaborated closely with I Gusti Nyoman Lempad on sacred works such as the Naga Na’an (beings that escorted kings who had passed away and were travelling to the heavens; having the body of a winged lion and the head of a Naga) that was offered at the Puri Canang Sari.
It took someone like Dewa to capture nuances of Bali's blessedness. In his capacity he then responds to this nuance into his canvases. Dewa's fascination to arts probably began from his being exposed to the creative process of few Indonesian maestros from Java who made a trip to Bali to capture the island’s exoticism.