Artist Dittmar seeks tranquility through tantric symbols

Text by Putu Wirata

JIMBARAN, Bali (JP): Most foreign artists living in Bali tend to portray local rituals and daily Balinese activities on their canvasses.

But German artist Peter Dittmar, in his never-ending intellectual search, is capable of representing the philosophy and culture of Balinese people through his admiring creations.

Dittmar was born in Munich, Germany in l945. In 1982, while working as a lecturer at the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ), he visited Bali and fell in love with the island's beauty. Shortly afterward he decided to move to the island where he set up an art studio in Sayan, Ubud.

It seems like Dittmar is not the type of artist who is eager to exploit his artistic skills to record objects that merely attract him visually. Instead, he is a more contemplative artist, who is willing to comprehensively absorb the essence of all visual forms, which has led him to his philosophical state of mind.

Dittmar's exhibition at Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Resort in Jimbaran, which will run through Sept. 20, is based on the theme of tantric symbols.

Understanding Dittmar's works is not easy. His works reflect his inner side, which is influenced by diverse traditions and cultures outside his own native continent.

Dittmar has journeyed to places where Buddhism and Hinduism flourish. He unearths the inspiration behind tantric symbols and incorporates a myriad of local aesthetic values.

Historically, tantric symbols originated from Tantrayana, a Buddhist sect from India, which emerged around 1,000 years ago. These symbols, however, were also to be found in variants of Indian Hinduism.

In Bali such symbols are presently recognized as Siwa Siddhanta or Siwa Buddha, which dominate various art forms, such as architecture, dance, religious and traditional ceremonies. Such symbols are also found in some religious liturgies practiced by Hindu high priests.

Dittmar is lucky as he is sensitive and capable enough to capture the real sense of these symbols. The artist is able to marry the aesthetic visuals with his technical skill.

In one of the displayed works, entitled Toroid Tomoe, meaning that a circle is derived from a universal cosmological symbol known in every part of the world. In the piece, he has deliberately created a hole at the center. As a backdrop, Dittmar mixes two colors -- gray and subdued golden yellow -- to create various forms and columns. He has spontaneously sprayed these columns with various colors creating the dynamic movement of the cosmos.

His other work titled Arts Link People Installation consists of three columns placed together in parallel. Each column, visually so aspiring, is painted gray like Balinese sandstone while the use of red in the middle symbolizes a vertical relationship between human beings and their Creator.

InZanma, which in Japanese means "room in between", he depicts the concept of hollowness. If we refer to the Hindu concept, hollowness or zero is not a void, it is something meaningful. Balinese Hindus call their God Sang Hyang Embang or Sang Hyang Kosong (the Hollowness).

Dittmar's works reflect his tranquility and sincerity. The backgrounds are splashed with black, brown or light brown to create a close feeling to the earth.

Watching Dittmar's works, one is able to capture their meditative atmosphere from his choice of colors and the use of his brush strokes.

Although Dittmar has lived in Bali quite a long time, he rarely exhibits his works here. So far, he has held various exhibitions in big cities outside Bali. Because of his contemplative personality, Dittmar's works rarely receive much attention from local arts experts. He is not a figure who can engage in intense dialog with the public.

Unlike other foreign artists such as Antonio Blanco who has his own gallery, Dittmar has just an art studio, which functions mainly as his own workshop. Therefore, Dittmar's works have little influence on local artists.

Still, it may be interesting to compare Dittmar's works with Made Wianta's artistic use of calligraphy. Dittmar's strokes on his columns are close to Wianta's column on lorosetu fabric. Dittmar, however, could become a precious sparring partner for young Balinese artists interested in exploring aesthetic values, artistic techniques, subjects ranging from the media to philosophy.