Cartoons of concern on Bali's landscape
By Putu Wirata
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Cartoonists have the advantage of being able to convey their concerns on grave subjects in a forum often laughed off as unthreatening.
Eight Balinese cartoonists from the Balinese Cartoonist Association (Pakarti) do just this by holding up a questioning mirror to the rapid development changes on their island in the glo-BALI-zation exhibition at Taman Budaya Denpasar here.
They criticize the misuse of Bali's natural splendor and the chipping away at its culture as the heady lure of tourism dollars enfolds the island.
The bigger picture at the exhibition, opening Monday and running through July 13, is illustrated projections of cynicism on a lamentable Bali.
Wayan Gunasta, better known as Gun Gun, is launching his book Bali dalam Kartun (Bali in Cartoons), featuring his notable works from the past decade, in conjunction with the show.
"We have encapsulated changes happening to humankind and the Balinese culture in cartoons because we care," Gun Gun said.
After studying plastic arts and design at the University of Udayana in Bali, Gun Gun explored graphic animation at an institute in Tokyo.
The other cartoonists include Ida Bagus Martinaya (Gus Martin) with his mascot Sangut Delem, a cartoon series appearing in the Sunday editions of the Bali Post; Putu Suarya Soetama (Tusuria) who enlivens the Bali Post with her character Nang Lanying(Mr. Sharp); Kadek Jango Paramartha (Jango); I.G.N. Widnyana (Wied N); Ida Bagus Surya Dharma with his "Mr Bali" cartoon that appears in the Sunday edition of the Bali Post; former boxer Cosmas H. (Cece) Riberu; comedian and musician Ketut Kesuma Tirtha and the outstanding Tony Tantra.
The cartoonists are neither septuagenarians nor Tiger Woods clones, even though they share an obsession with golfing in their works. This is not merely about greens, fairways and golf balls, because the issue of building acres of gold courses on the island is loaded.
Wayan Gunasta's most trenchant work had the legs of a man, a golf club and the golf ball of Bali, a globe of greenery frivolously knocked around the course. Wayan Gunasta's has a golfer's putt dribbling smack into a Hindu procession. At the heart of his cynical treatment is the controversial construction of a hotel near the sacred site of Tanah Lot; a farmer from Beraban village swings his hoe in the same teeing off motion of the golfer who is set to invade his land.
Ida Bagus Surya Dharma's work bears the cartoonist's badge of profane humor veiling its cynical edge. He pokes fun at the contrasts between affectations of the rich, who must endure the "ignorant" ways of the poor in Bali, as men scamper frantically after pigs running loose on a scrupulously tended golf course.
The parody of upholding law and order is not lost either on these expressionists. Kadek Jango's depicts a storied hotel built in the lap of a mountainside, an apparent inference to the island's permitted building height of 15 meters, as two of its floors soar above the limit. This is a comment on one famous hotel which violated the limit but was not fined.
The owner of Hotel Paradiso was not so lucky. The governor of Bali ordered him to scale down his building to the proper height, and he later placed a newspaper advertisement apologizing to the Balinese people.
Egalitarianism may be espoused in theory but is seldom followed through in practice. Indonesian law says that justice is to be served quickly, efficiently and, most importantly, is "affordable" to all. This is caustically lampooned in Gun Gun's cartoon. "Where are we going, Dad?" a child asks. "To the High Court." The little boy then asks what is so high about it. "The cost," is his father's retort.
It may be a little tattered at the edges, but Bali is undoubtedly still Indonesia's tourism cash cow to investors. The glitz of luxury hotels and shopping centers obscure the reality of the gorging of the province's land.
In the cartoon, the gaping-mouthed gluttonous investor with spiked teeth has money in his left hand and Bali for bread with a fork impaled in it in his right.
The scene is not as traumatic on the Balinese man sitting in front of him as it is on the little dog sitting behind. The poor thing seemed taken aback that even the bones were not spared. Another work by Wayan Gun Gun portrays the power of money and the investor who holds it up as sacred.
The depiction of the evolving Balinese man by Wayan is more about the man turning into someone empowered. He is holding the end of a cloth, and then progresses to carrying an attache case. His clothing was formerly modest, but the man with the suitcase is dressed in a full suit.
Wied N's humorous work gave a new meaning to the entree. The lid partially covering a surprise is lifted, uncovering a piece of Bali. Cece Riberu puts a smile on the viewer's face with a Balinese driving a Volkswagen in a rush, and fighting cocks stashed on the backseat. The message is that modern trappings cannot extinguish irrepressible Balinese culture.
Political nuances seemed lost amid the slew of thoughtful work, even though a few political works were displayed. It is said that the reason could be fear of unnecessary trouble. Gun Gun said all aspects of Balinese culture were rounded up in the show.
One work seemed politically noteworthy. A married couple fights and the husband turns cynical. "You are acting hard to get just like cement," he says. At the time, cement's prices plummeted on the market. Prices then shot up and rumors abounded about mysterious figures buying up the entire cement stock.
Individually, each work may elicit contrasting perceptions from different generations. But the artists' ultimate message was clearly drawn on paper.