Artist I Nyoman Tusan stays true to himself until the end

I Wayan Sunarta, Contributor, Singaraja, Bali

On Sunday, July 7, Bali lost one of its most famous artists and painters, I Nyoman Tusan, who suffered a fatal stroke at the age of 69.

Known as a Balinese modern artist who was educated at the prestigious Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)'s Fine Arts School in 1954, Tusan frequently used Cili, a Balinese Hindu icon, and applied it to his works. The Cili icon presents a piece of a palm frond in the form of the female figure usually found in various offerings. Tusan smartly applied Cili themes using the Cubist style of Picasso.

Tusan was regarded by his colleagues as a smart and low- profile artist who consistently produced fresh and bright ideas.

In l991, Tusan and some other artists set up Budaya Tejakemukus Foundation, in an effort to preserve, promote and develop traditional arts from Tejakula village in Buleleng regency, North Bali.

Tusan realized that his village of Tejakula is home to a rich and diverse range of arts and culture. Sacred dances and theater performances like Wayang Wong, Gambuh, Kecak and Baris Dance originated from the village and later developed elsewhere in Bali.

Throughout his life, Tusan felt very concerned about the huge influence of tourism and commercialism on the lives of Tejakula villagers and other rural areas on the island. According to him, people now tended to view art from an economic point of view rather than a pure arts form.

To celebrate the richness of Tejakula's art and culture, Tusan accompanied Wayang Wong theater group and Gong Kebyar to perform in Japan. In l995, Tusan also sent the Gong Kebyar group to play in Sweden.

In the contemporary arts scene, Tusan was active in promoting multiculturalism, like organizing an international arts festival titled Asia-Europe Collaboration in May 2000.

During the course of his career as an artist, Tusan used to distance himself from the hustle and bustle of commercial trends. He was actually not against commercial artists, yet he kept complaining the arts were always being viewed solely from an economic perspective.

Arts institutions, he claimed, were now only being established for students to learn about art and then sell their work, especially to foreign visitors. Nuances of humanity and religion were no longer allowed to emerge in art.

"In the past, creating and performing arts activities were part of people's dedication to society and God. This activity was called ngayah in the Balinese language," he recently said. "Arts had never before been tied to any economic activity. It was only ever performed at the temple."

Born in the small village of Antapura, Tejakula on Jan. 10, 1933, Tusan inherited his artistic talents from his own father, I Wayan dara, a famous goldsmith and drummer in the Wayang Wong Tejakula group.

Little Tusan was very fond of wayang (puppet) stories derived from the Mahabharata and Ramayana epics. He learned Balinese literature from his elementary school teacher I Wayan Simpen and I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa, a noted literary figure from Buleleng.

He learned drawing from Sujono, a junior high school teacher in Malang, East Java and Widagdo, a naturalist painter in the city. After graduating from high school, Tusan went to Bandung and enrolled at ITB's School of Architecture before moving to the institute's School of Fine Art two years later.

While he was still a student, Tusan was already displaying his works together with senior artists like Arie Smith and Sadali at several galleries in Indonesia.

In l962, Tusan was summoned back to Singaraja to hold a position at Buleleng Cultural Office. He finished his education at ITB in l974.

In l977, Tusan received a fellowship at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium. He also received several awards and appreciation for his dedication to the development of arts in Bali and in Indonesia. In l990, he retired from the Ministry of Education and Culture in Jakarta and returned to his home village, Tejakula.

The low-profile artist passed away leaving a valuable inheritance to Bali's artists. Even days before he died, Tusan was expressing his concern over the increasing commercialization of the ongoing Bali Arts Festival (PKB).

"The festival is not promoting Balinese arts and culture, it is now just a mere trade fair," Tusan wailed in deep sadness. His comment was published in a letter to editors at a national newspaper on July 7, the day he passed away.

He was survived by his wife Ketut Sriartha and four children Gede Wiarta Naya, Made Sri Widarini, Nyoman Widaryantha Naya, Ketut Ari Widaryanthi, and seven grandchildren.