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WARNINGS FROM THE STREET
Tension: A mural by Komunitas Jamur suggests that one way to ease racial tension is to hold honest dialogue
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Tension: A mural by Komunitas Jamur suggests that one way to ease racial tension is to hold honest dialogue.
A mural exhibition in Bali reveals concerns about mankind.
Motorists passing along the Ida Bagus Mantra bypass, the four-lane motorway connecting the island’s capital Denpasar with a major town in east Bali, can find an interesting sight in front of the Bentara Budaya Bali compound in Ketewel.
A huge, colorful three-dimensional structure stands next to the compound’s main gate. Its shape resembles a giant two-headed beast with rows of white, feathery wings and a large, fiery lotus adorning its torso. The phrase “You, Me, as One” is written above the lotus and bare strips of bamboo protrude from the creature’s upper edge.
It was created by Nyoman Sujana Suklu, one of the island’s leading visual artists, as part of “Budaya Untuk Bumi yang Terbuka, Toleran dan Beragam” (Culture for an Open, Tolerant and Diverse Earth), a collaboration between the National Gallery and Bentara Budaya Bali, running from Oct. 9 to 16.
The exhibition is part of the World Culture Forum (WCF), an international gathering of artists, scholars and activists striving to establish culture as an integral part of sustainable development as well as developing a culture-based platform for dialogue between nations. Held from Oct. 10 to 14 in Nusa Dua, the WCF is attended by more than 900 participants from 30 countries.
In action: A member of Komunitas Jamur works on a mural depicting bedawang nala, the great turtle.
Widely admired for his skillful drawings, elaborate lines and bold colors, Suklu is one of a few Balinese artists who have succeeded, both esthetically and commercially, in incorporating elements of traditional Balinese arts into his mostly modern visualizations.
His installation in the ongoing exhibit incorporates the lotus and wings that are clearly borrowed from traditional iconography to establish a connection between freedom and consciousness.
The phrase “You, Me, as One” is inspired by Tat Twam Asi, a popular adage in Balinese Hinduism. Loosely translated as “I am You, You are Me”, the adage is an acknowledgement on the interconnectivity of all sentient beings. It is also a reminder that mankind shares similar struggles and aspirations, and thus should work in unison to ensure its success.
Suklu’s installation is a fitting warning for both Balinese people and the global community. As the world becomes an increasingly divided place plagued by territorial disputes, wealth inequality, racial discrimination and religious fundamentalism, a willingness among the conflicting sides to find common ground is no longer a fleeting need. It has become an absolute necessity if the global community is indeed truly serious about its survival.
The exhibit, through its subthemes, argues that common ground can be reached when the global community starts believing in cultural openness, tolerance and diversity.
Each of the three participating street-art communities offers its interpretation of those three elements, with Komunitas Pojok exploring cultural openness, Komunitas Jamur tackling tolerance and Slinat responding to diversity.
All three communities have made their names through murals they created on streets across Denpasar as well as a series of art exhibitions, including the controversial “Mendobrak Hegemony” (Crushing Hegemony) in 2001, in which the young visual artists provided an alternative way of understanding contemporary Bali.
Poignant message: An installation by Suklu reminds passersby about the interconnectivity of all sentient beings in an increasingly divided world.
That exhibit put them on a collision course with Bali’s more established visual artists, who for decades have portrayed the island in an adoringly romantic way.
Their murals in Bentara Budaya Bali clearly reflect their determination to impress this alternative perspective upon their fellow Balinese.
One mural captures Balinese people’s “memory-loss” by presenting rows of seemingly random numbers — including 1965 — which, upon close observation, reveal years that correlate with important historical events.
Another mural is a satirical play on the island’s devotion to mass-tourism “religion”, with a striking “Visit Bali Year” emblazoned upon three heads wearing traditional headwear and gas masks, alluding to the pollution and other environmental problems plaguing the resort island. Meanwhile, a mural jointly created by the three communities states “Welcome to the World of Trash.”
Murals and street art have always been powerful tools to drive strong messages into the public consciousness. This exhibit is no different. Hopefully, the public will take notice.
— Photos courtesy of Bentara Budaya Bali
