The day begins with the beating of drums in Tenganan, the village hidden among the hills where, since the VIII Century, the most authentic Balinese traditions are rigorously maintained. The inhabitants regard themselves as descendants of the island’s original population - they have never accepted the Hindu caste system, believing in the spirits of nature and practicing ancient rites. One example is makare-kare, a fight with thorny leaves gathered from the pandanus, a plant in the rainforest, carried out by the men for various holidays. Also typical are the sacred clothes known as the “double ikat”, made by hand and hand-dyed as well, capable, according to tradition, of healing and protecting whoever wears them. In Tenganan, there are no inequalities between men and women who have the same rights and obligations. However, life in the village is not for everyone - citizenship is reserved to those who are born there and it can be lost immediately just by marrying a foreigner. Beyond the entry gate, typical architecture distinguishes Tenganan from all other Balinese villages. The houses with their narrow doors are all built around a single courtyard along with the Drum Tower and the Ceremonial Pavilion. At the northern-most point is the village temple, the Pura Puseh.
Dedicated to the cultivation of rice and the protection of the island from spirits, it is a temple with structural characteristics different from other sacred places in Bali. Its position is strategic for its centrality and coolness.
She is an artist who grew up in the intersection between the traditional Balinese culture into which she was born, and the contemporary art horizon with which she became familiar through her academic career in the city of Bandung.
Written by Balinese scholar Professor I Made Bandem and American art historian Bruce W. Carpenter, this stunning study of masks as an ancient art form is a richly illustrated book, with over 1000 color images by photographer Doddy Obenk.
He is an Indonesian-born artist based in Bali. He finished his education in Fine Arts practice at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 2020. His artistic practice originates from his lived experiences and observations as a Balinese and the religious aspects of Bali.