Bali cultural community to hold first arts biennale

Bali cultural community to hold first arts biennale

I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Sanur

In an apparent move to put Bali in the front lines of the world's contemporary arts scene, a group of Balinese scholars, artists and writers have pooled their resources to organize the island's first fine arts biennale.

The idea to organize a biennale first circulated five years ago among the island's most influential cultural thinkers, such as the late I Nyoman Tusan, Prof. Dr. I Made Bandem, Pande Suteja Neka, Agung Rai, Wayan Sika, Made Wianta, Putu Wirata Dwikora and Hartanto. Finally, a firm commitment to realize the idea was reached during a meeting on September 2004 in Ubud.

The biennale, it was agreed, would be focused on the central theme of Space and Scape. Spatial awareness has always been an important element of Balinese Hindu teaching; therefore, it has also influenced the island's arts and culture to a large degree.

"Space can be interpreted as place, cycle or mandala, with Scape as dimension, panorama or outlook. In this context, the biennale's mission is to provide a space, where spirit of innovation and transformation, creative energy and aesthetic reformation can work together and give birth to new, avant garde maestros and masterpieces," biennale organizing committee chairman Prof. Dr. I Made Bandem said on Monday.

The biennale will comprise two main events, the pre-Summit and the Summit. The pre-Summit will take place from January until October 2005 while the Summit will be held from November to December 2005.

"The pre-Summit will be in the form of various constructive, critical events aimed at conceptually enriching the biennale and warming up the public for the upcoming Summit," Bandem noted.

The Summit will comprise of two major events, the exhibition and competition. The historiography-based exhibition will showcase the works of various painters and sculptors, who have played critical roles in the development of contemporary arts in Bali.

The exhibition will provide the public with a historical cultural map on the influences given and received by the island.

Meanwhile, the competition will be used to nominate and select 10 recipients of the Bali Biennale Art Awards.

"It (the competition) is a medium through which the biennale will stimulate the creation of art works that are distinguished by their originality -- in theme and techniques, novelty and avant garde qualities. The art works should also reflect the personal mastery of the creators," Bandem said.

The selection and nomination process for the exhibition and competition will be conducted by a board of curators. The members of this board are Kompas's Bentara Budaya curator Ipong Purnama Sidhi, founder of the Agung Rai Museum of Arts (ARMA) Agung Rai, Yogyakarta-based art critic Suwarno Wisetrotomo, acclaimed sculptor Nyoman Nuarta, anthropologist Jean Couteau, Bali-based art critic Putu Wirata Dwikora and accomplished painter I Wayan Sika.

"As you can see, the board of curators' memberships reflect the biennale's respect for cultural openness and diversity," Bandem said.

The biennale is expected to be the largest contemporary arts gathering in the island's history, involving numerous accomplished painters and sculptors and various arts institutions in the island. At least 10 major museums and galleries have expressed their support for the biennale, including the Bentara Budaya, Danes Art Veranda, Darga Gallery, Komaneka Gallery, ARMA, Neka Museum, Puri Lukisan Museum and Gunarsa Museum.

Currently, the organizing committee is finalizing a sponsorship agreement, which will secure the Rp 1.2 billion in funding they need to run the event, with large-scale manufacturer Astra International.

"Bali and Indonesia have a lot of painters and sculptors who have won international recognition and who frequently exhibit their works abroad.

Unfortunately, most western art critics still view their works as exotic, or ethnic, pieces of art -- not as contemporary or modern works of arts," accomplished painter I Wayan Sika said.

The biennale was an opportunity for the country's painters and sculptors to show the world that their works were a lot more than just a mere display of exoticism and ethnicity, Sika said.