Artist I Nyoman Tusan stays true to himself until the end

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.