Bahasa IndonesiaDate: 3 June – 31 July 2016
Location: Titian Art Space
Jl. Bisma No: 88 Ubud
Batuan paintings are remarkbly dense, with deeply saturated tones. The images are often dark and sometimes macabre, but they are always carefully made and finely balanced. These paintings are charaterized by high levels of energy in both form and content…
Bruce Granquist (2012)
Breaking away from tradition and being unique is the trademark of I Nyoman Ngendon, one of the major artists from the village of Batuan, 10 miles south of Ubud. Ngendon was a multi talented artist, a freedom fighter and probably the first art entrepreneur in the 1930s. Ngendon believed in sharing his painting techniques but vehimantly persuaded his students to break away from tradition and become art innovators themselves, and create a style of their own.
I Wayan Taweng learned to paint primarily from I Nyoman Ngendon and began to teach his sons and neighbors. As a teacher, he insisted his students discover their own vision. He taught them the basic techniques and how to work with the materials. Then the student was expected to go off on his or her own investigation, to find themselves and to create another branch. He forbade his students to imitate his artworks.
This exhibition shows Taweng’s work and three of his younger sons: I Ketut Sadia, I Wayan Diana, and I Made Griyawan, and his grandson I Gede Widyantara.
All four artists have their own brand and personality which reflects Ngendon’s approach to art and to life – a devotion to freedom of expression in art.
I Wayan Taweng
Batuan, 1922-2004
Started to paint at the age of 8 under the guidance of I Nyoman Ngendon. Rudolf Bonnet taught him coloring techniques. Taweng exhibited his work in Bali and Jakarta and received the Wijaya Kusuma Award from the Gianyar regency in 1999.
The Unlucky Monkey
51 x 33 cm, Acrylic on Paper, 2000
This painting was taken from a Tantri story, about a monkey and a goat that entered into an agreement to plant peanuts. The peanuts were intended for the monkey and leaves for the goat. But when it was time for the planting, the monkey did not want to work and just told the goat and its kid to labor by themselves. Therefore, every time the peanut started to sprout leaves, the goat and its kid would eat them. So the peanut plants slowly died.
The monkey became angry and got a nasty idea. He told a tiger to eat the goat and its kid. Knowing the trick of the monkey, the goat came to look for a way out. The goat ate a kind of red flower and waited for the arrival of the tiger and the monkey on the edge of a lake. The Tiger arrived with the monkey riding on his back. Because the tiger had been cheated by the monkey before, the tiger tied it’s own tail to the tail of the monkey to keep him close by. When the tiger arrived, the goat (whose mouth was red from eating the flower) thanked the monkey for keeping his promise to bring one more tiger. The goat said that he and his kid were still hungry after eating a tiger earlier in the day and throwing his head into the lake. The tiger did not believe the goat’s story, so the goat told the tiger to look into the lake. The tiger saw the reflection of his own head and ran, afraid to be eaten by the goat. The monkey, who was on the back of the tiger, fell and was dragged to death (as both of their tails were tied together).
I Ketut Sadia
Batuan, 1966
Learned to paint from his father, I Wayan Taweng and his older brother I Wayan Bendi, Sadia has exhibited his works in Bali, Jakarta and overseas including ARMA Museum, Puri Lukisan Museum, Neka Museum, Museum National Jakarta, Singapore Art Museum, Tampere Art Museum, Finland, Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan and the Indonesian Consulate in Washington DC. He is one of the receivers of the Jakarta Art Award in 2008.
The collaboration of two dragons
135 x 58 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2015
Sadia is an avid observer of domestic and international affairs. The two dragons represent North and South Korea’s political relationship, two nations with the same ancestry divided by political opposites. Sadia hopes these two countries will mend their differences and complete each other as a way to bring peace to them and the world. The dragons are staged in opposing sides, engaging in frontal talks to initiate an everlasting frienship.
Blending of Japanese and Balinese Tradition
100 x 80 cm , Acrylic on Canvas , 2013
Here Sadia observes the blend of two cultures by showing a Sumo match in Bali. While Japanese viewers enjoy the show by drinking sake, along with their many gadgets and cameras, the Balinese support the show by performing a Kecak dance.
I Wayan Diana
Batuan, 1977
The thirteenth son of I Wayan Taweng, Diana learned to paint from his father and his uncle, I Ketut Tomblos. He exhibited his work in Bali and Jakarta including “Pesta Puri dan Situ Taksu” and the first Traditional Art Biennale, both in Jakarta. Diana was a finalist of the Jakarta Art Awards in 2008 and 2010.
Eruption
250 x 90 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2015
Volcanic eruptions are common in the Indonesian archipelago along its ring of fire. Such disasters force people to move from one area to an other. They often have to leave their hometown and traditions and move to a foreign land with different customs. Pictured here is the interaction betwwen the Balinese and indigenous Papuans. Although their customs are different, they accept the refugees with open arms, as we all belong to one nation and one human race.
Fierce Fighting in Gaza
150 x 70 cm , Acrylic on Canvas, 2014
Citing the incident in Gaza when Israeli soldiers were chased by stone throwing children.
I Made Griyawan
Batuan, 1979
A younger brother of I Ketut Sadia and I Wayan Diana, Griyawan also learned to paint from his father, I Wayan Taweng. As the youngest son, Griyawan’s earlier works are the closest to his father’s style. However, fresh themes keep sprouting from his exploration that set him
apart from his farther and brothers. Griyawan has exhibited his work at the Indonesian Consulate in Washington, DC in 2015 and at Titian Art Space at its grand opening exhibition in January 2016.
Bali Buldozer
100 x 80 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2009
Griyawan show his concern for Bali where the nature and culture are being destroyed by people for their personal interests. A buldozer is shown clearing up a hill near a Hindu temple.
The Path to Enlightenment
60 x 50 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2012
This painting depicts the path to enlightenment. There are different levels of consciousness that can be achieved by increasingly balancing positive and negative energy.
I Gede Widyantara
Batuan, 1984
Widyantara inherited the artistic talent of his grandfather, I Wayan Taweng. He completed his study at the Udayana University, but he decided to become a professional painter. As one of Batuan’s youngest generation of artists, Widyantara has produced unique and novel themes.
Late Hero
115 x 81 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2015
Even in a supramodern country like the United States, delays in disaster relief often occur. Perhaps because the person in charge is complacent, (as portrayed here by an out of shape Superman) which¬¬ makes it difficult for him to move quickly.
Corruptor Mask
60 x 40 cm, Acrylic on Canvas, 2016
It common for politicians to make promisses during an election campaign and never fulfill any of them after they get elected. Borrowing and spending a lot of money to buy the votes, makes the winners succumb to corruption to repay their debts. Widyantara portrays the corruptor’s body drowned in water.