I Wayan Jana explores eroticism in sculpture

I Wayan Jana explores eroticism in sculpture

Susi Andrini, Contributor, Denpasar

Art exhibitions in Bali are dominated by paintings, so it is
refreshing to see sculptures created by I Wayan Jana, 36, who is
currently displaying some of his work at Griya Santrian, Sanur,
through to Dec. 3.

The artist refers to his work as the "objects of life",
artistic statements in the form of three-dimensional pieces, or
trimantra.

He makes use of various types of wood that can be processed
and chiseled, including teak, kayu nangka (jackfruit wood) and
kayu pangkal buaya.

Jana uses "patting art", which offers realistic
interpretations of a variety of human psychological emotions such
as passion, hope, imagination and weakness.

The psychology of art refers to the arts in general. This
approach to psychology can be expressed through a variety of art
forms including literature, music, or the visual arts such as
painting and sculpture.

Such psychology gave birth to psychoanalysis of the kind
carried out by Edward Bullough, who did research into aesthetic
conscience.

It attempts to explain that the arts, like dreams and myths,
are manifestations of deepest human desires, as seen in the works
of Jana.

Most could be processed minimalistically but nonetheless they
retain deep meaning -- strong, but elastic, and sometimes weak.
They all melt into an explosion of emotions in the form of an
imagination of transcendent life.

The artist attempts to present things that inspire life by
emphasizing spirituality, which can be difficult to understand
and can become abstract.

Jana's work is also an erotic presentation of art. Erotic in
an abstract form creating wild feelings of sensibility. Some
believe that understanding erotic art is art that reveals human
organs, sexual desires and sexual intercourse.

Jana neither affirms nor disapproves of this. A close
observation on his work reveals that in all of his pieces Jana
seems to be portraying a meeting -- a meeting between a man and a
woman, a male and a female animal, or pollen and an ovary in
plants.

Jana expresses everyday realities in abstract ways, eliciting
various reactions from viewers. Typical symbols that are seen in
Jana's works are two spheres, which could be assumed to be two
male organs, or two ovaries. Or the unity of two in intimate
intercourse.

Let's take a look at his work Fruit (28cm by 24cm by 30cm).
The two spheres could be interpreted as a head and a body. In
another part, there is also a sphere with a hole inside it. It
looks like a buttock, but it could also be a heart or a symbol of
love.

Another characteristic of his work is the carving of saw-like
teeth. Jana refers to this as the depiction of rwa bhinneda,
meaning that there are two sides, good and bad, to every human
being. Teeth can be good if used properly, but can also become a
symbol of destructiveness.

If we observe the works from an erotic perspective, the two
serrated lines with two spheres at the end could represent a male
organ, instead of a neck, a human body, an animal or a plant.

In his abstract work, Pakis (Fern, 20cm by 21cm by 26cm), Jana
explores his wild imagination without any conscious perception.
Like the other pieces, the work is sexy, wild and erotic, with
deep meaning.

His creations come from simple themes within everyday life. He
can capture traditions that existed a long time ago, in the
Stone-Age, but that is still alive and existing during modern
times, even in this postmodern era.

In his sculpture titled Mekar (Sprout, 21cm by 13cm by 61cm)
he depicts two courting bangau (long-legged birds similar to
heron). Their bodies become one and the wings are closed while
their necks and heads are placed one on another.

Of his 18 works, Jana likes the one titled Pertemuan
(Companionship, 21cm by 17cm by 90cm) most of all.

"This touches my heart the most. I am really satisfied with it
because once I'd made it, it was done. I didn't have to fix it,"
said Jana, who received an award in 1995 from then vice president
Try Sutrisno and won the "favorite" category in the national
souvenir contest in Jakarta in 1986.

Through his work, Jana has imbued his ideas with an aura of
reform. What is clear, however, especially when the world of
sculptures here seems to have its slow days, is that Jana can
provide creative inspiration to other sculptors. Bali now has
its own association of sculptors, which was established in
January this year.