A total of 24 works of art by 17 well-known Balinese artists of various ages were displayed in a joint exhibition at the Teba Kangin Pemanis Art Space, Pemanis Biaung Village, Penebel, Tabanan. The drawing exhibition entitled Rajah Rasa was opened by the Regent of Tabanan, represented by Assistant II I Wayan Kotia, accompanied by the Head of the Tabanan Culture Service, I Wayan Sugatra, and was attended by the Head of the Penebel Subdistrict, local figures and artists from various regions. The opening of the exhibition was responded by performance art by Kadek Hartini and poetry reading by I Wayan Jengki Sunarta, on Monday (May 23).

There is an interesting thing related to this exhibition. Even though various types of paintings were displayed, visitors to the exhibition were not only enjoying the painting, but also moved by responding with a brush and then scratching it on a red cloth or on a white board. Understandably, all the attendants present were mostly artists, so their imagination was called to vent into the existing media in the yard. Likewise, in the corner of the house, under a bamboo tree, with the accompaniment of the gurgling water of the river, the artists present also scratched on improvised media such as spreading out paper and existing sheets of paper.

The artists who displayed the works are (the late) I Nyoman Gunarsa, Made Wiradana, I Made Bakti Wiyasa, Nyoman Loka Suara, Ketut Tenang, Ketut Sudita, Putu Wirantawan, I Putu Bagus Sastra Wedanta, Sri Srinaryo, I Ketut Endrawan, I Made Somadita, Pande Nyoman Alit Wijaya Suta, Wayan Jengki Sunarta, Y. Olla, R.A. Ayu Ratih Windari and Ni Wayan Sutariyani. The exhibition was getting even more special because it presented the works of Maestro Nyoman Gunarsa, having the power of spontaneity lines with a high artistic value.

On that occasion, it was handed over the Bakti Sastra Vidya Kusuma award by Teba Kangin Pemanis Art Studio. It is an award devoted to the art servants and cultural preservers. The award was given to Jero Ketut Muka or Pekak Rika for his dedication to pass on knowledge of Balinese script and language to the community tirelessly. The old man walked through the dark rural countryside just to make the younger generation to know Balinese scripts. The award was handed over by Assistant II I Wayan Kotia.

The owner of Teba Kangin Pemanis Art Space, Made Bakti Wiyasa, stated that the exhibition of Rajah Rasa Indonesian Art Drawing was held nationally to raise artistic creativity in the community. The Indonesia Drawing Exhibition is a national-scale event held sporadically by 250 art communities independently in order to promote drawing in the community, commemorate the National Awakening Day and the inauguration of May as the month of National Drawing in Indonesia declared throughout Indonesia and attended by 250 artist communities. “In Bali, one of the activities is centered on Indonesia Drawing activities with a drawing exhibition held at Pemanis Village, Biaung, Penebel, Tabanan, Bali,” he said.

This event is a form of strengthening the promotion of culture. The Rajah Rasa exhibition held at Teba Kangin Art Space serves as an effort to enhance the feeling, improve abilities and generate creativity as well as foster creativity. “The local strength of Bali and the sacred calligraphy culture I find out in organic calligraphy for amulets, safety and compassion. The sacred calligraphic tradition in Bali is great, so the drawing strokes become strength. For example, organic calligraphic strokes that use stone bases and lime betel has spiritual and magical significance in addition to artistic one,” said the man who is keen to preserve the ancient sites. (BTN/015)