Cempaka Culture and Tourism: An Eye for Bali’s Everyday Beauty

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …”

Friday, April 2, 2010

An Eye for Bali’s Everyday Beauty

Jakarta Globe, Katrin Figge, April 02, 2010

Indonesian watercolor artist Irwan Widjayanto draws inspiration for his gorgeous-hued paintings from observations of daily life on Bali. (JG Photos/Katrin Figge)

The uniqueness of Bali and its rich traditions and culture have inspired many artists, both local and foreign, in their works. Among them is Irwan Widjayanto, an Indonesian painter who was born in Surabaya but found himself drawn to the beauty of the island and made it his preferred subject.

His works can now be seen at Dialectic of Beauty, a solo exhibition at Phthalo Aquarelle Gallery in Kemang.

The gallery was opened in August 2008 with the aim to promote watercolor artists — often regarded as inferior to those working with oils — in the country.

“By showing Irwan’s works at Phthalo Gallery, we hope to increase the appreciation of watercolor paintings in Jakarta,” Phthalo owner Elia Aryanus wrote in the foreword of the exhibition’s catalogue.

Irwan’s paintings spoil the eyes. He depicts Balinese beauties, mostly young women with dark skin tones and soft facial features, some of them smiling, others dreamily gazing into the distance.

In some of his works, the girls are depicted naked. One can be seen from the back, showing off her lean figure, while another one lies on her back, two white flowers tangled in her long black hair.

Arie Smit, a Dutch-born Indonesian painter living in Bali, said that “realism in art will always be with us. Irwan’s watercolors are such communications and we feel happy on the receiving end.”

Irwan also depicts scenes of everyday life on the island. Children playing with cats, becak drivers reading the newspaper and elder Balinese women in traditional clothing performing religious dances.

Irwan’s most unique work in this exhibition, titled “Siap Bertarung” (Ready to Fight), consists of two separate paintings meant to be viewed together. Both show Balinese men in dark blue sarongs, a white shirt and udeng , the traditional head cloth for men on the island. They each hold roosters armed with sharp metal spurs attached to their right legs, prepared to do battle in a blood sport.

Even though cockfights were officially banned by the Indonesian government in 1981 in an effort to stop gambling, they are still widely practiced throughout the island, with the argument that they are ancient rituals that ward off evil spirits.

“These were painted from real life,” gallery staffer Fitri said. “He has been to this particular cockfight and painted the owners of the roosters.”

“The brown-colored one lost,” she added with a laugh.

One could argue that Irwan’s paintings lack social commentary and criticism. But when it comes to art, fortunately there are no rules, and how lucky for the artist to be surrounded by beauty. After all, the show is dubbed Dialectic of Beauty, and Irwan stays true to this title by letting us see the beauty of Bali through his eyes.

As curator Bambang Asrini Widjanarko put it: “Irwan’s solo exhibition generally shows that genuine art always carries a sense of beauty that amazes us.”

Dialectic of Beauty

Watercolor paintings by Irwan Widjayanto

Through April 25
Phthalo Aquarelle Gallery
Jl. Kemang Selatan 8 No. C4-3
South Jakarta

Tel. 021 718 2587