Archive for July 6th, 2006
During my years in Bali I must confess to not having witnessed a performance of the Tajen dance. It will be performed however at the Bali Art Centre during the Bali Arts Festival.
A controversial dance and music piece Tajen was first staged in 2001 by Kadek Suardana and Ulf Gadd, reflecting the experience of recent years in Indonesian history where provocation often results in conflict according to the Bali Discovery news.
5 years later and with the assistance of the Arti Foundation an updated version entitled Tajen II will be presented as part of the month long 27th Bali Arts Festival. Guaranteed to be highly entertaining, Tajen II opens with a dream-like sequence, moves to excerpts from traditional Balinese Janger vocal choruses and then builds to a powerful climax in a pseudo cockfight depicting the turmoil of the uncertain situation many Indonesians now confront.
Music for the performance is a combination of Balinese ethnic and other ethnic instruments, modern ‘high-tech’ instruments presented live or in a recorded format.
Tajen II is directed by Kadek Suardana, choreography by Ulf Gadd, starring Nyoman Sudarta, Dedi Diana, Jane Chen, Palupi, Nyoman Sura, and others.
The Arti Foundation
Founded in 1998 by Balinese theater director/composer Kadek Suradana, journalist Gde Aryantha Soethoma, Swedish choreographer Ulf Gadd, and others - The Arti Foundation is dedicated to creating an organization committed to the conservation and development of Balinese performing arts and culture in general. The term “arti” which translates as “meaning” was chosen to reflect the foundation’s aim of providing a forum for creativity and professional training for young artist-performers in Bali. The challenge faced by the foundation and its members is to ’stay true’ to their cultural heritage while responding creatively to an increasingly globalized age.
In the context of its conservation and cultural development works, Arti has been producing innovative stage performances; artistic events, publications, and other social activities.
Tajen II will be performed on Thursday July 6, 2006 at 8:00 p.m. : Gedung Ksirarnawa, Bali Art Centre, Denpasar.
sources : www.baliblog.com
July 6th, 2006
Art galleries and museums are always a must-see for me wherever I travel in the archipelago. Candika has never been big on them preferring to take a quick gander at each painting or exhibit and then sit down.
This month in Bali is promising to be a fantastic one for art lovers with the Walter Spies exhibition at ARMA in Ubud and there will be another exhibition just as interesting as the Bali Discovery points out.
More than 70 important Balinese paintings covering the entire milieu of the Island’s most important schools of painting endeavour will be on display at an Exhibition “Tradition and Reputation: Exhibition of 100 years of Balinese Traditional Paintings” set for Ubud’s Arma Museum July 14-23, 2006.
The exhibition to be held in both Jakarta and Bali
July 6th, 2006
Towards the end of July there is another exhibition to be held at the Bali Mystique Hotel in Kerobokan and will feature the works of expat Kerry Pendergrast.
Few will argue that the beauty of Bali is captivating. Living proof of this fact is found in the Ubud-based artist, Kerry Pendergrast. Born in Perth, Western Australia in 1963 she visited Bali where she met her Indonesian artist husband, Pranoto. Living in Bali’s artists’ community of Ubud since 1993, she is the mother of two children as an article in the Bali Discovery explains.
Her time in Ubud and her marriage to a talented artist provided the personal impetus for Kerry’s development as an artist. From the Pronoto Gallery in downtown Ubud she organizes weekly live model sessions attended by models and artists from around the world.
Her premier exhibition at the Seniwati Gallery - Art by Women in Ubud in 1998 launched Kerry’s budding artistic career. Since then she has held solo exhibitions in Indonesian and Australia as well as group shows. Her love of pastels as a medium for her work began in 2001 during a holiday in Lombok.
Bali, in My Eyes
Her latest solo exhibition “Bali, in My Eyes” will be held at the Bali Mystique Hotel at Jalan Petitienget 2000X in Kerobokan from July 25 through August 31, 2006.
The paintings exhibited will be soft pastels rendered on sandpaper. Kerry’s choice of soft colours on a rough background is tied to the resulting luxurious textures and enhanced colours this medium provides. Kerry enjoys completing her pieces in front of a scene, capturing the light and feeling an interaction that is immediate and fresh.
Her current exhibition like many of her past compositions reflects the stunning, tropical scenery of Bali that gives her an endless supply of subjects such as temples, rice fields, beaches, mountains and lakes.
For more information on the exhibition telephone 361-730465.
July 6th, 2006