Concept of this series of works;
'The Covarrubias series' is a series of large scale watercolor/charcoal drawings based on a texts from Miguel Covarrubias's book 'Island of Bali'. The titles of the drawings are literally taken from the book, yet I interpreted the texts in my own way, making it a story of my own.
Indonesian art & culture has had a big influence on my development as an artist. I studied fine art at ITB, Bandung, Java in my last year of my studies as an exchange student from the Willem de Kooning Art Academy in Rotterdam. Once I had my bachelor degree in the Netherlands in fine art, I moved to Bali where I worked in my studio and made an almost anthropological study of Balinese hindu culture.
Miguel Covarrubias' book, 'The Island of Bali', first published in 1937, is an anthropological studies on the island's culture. The author, an artist himself, writes in a visually rich language, which inspired me to make the series. Balinese culture is often on the verge of beauty and something disquieting. Disquieting beauty has always been major element in my work.
The series, even though literally based on texts from the book, are not illustrations. They are autonomous art pieces, pulled from the book and taken into my own visual world.
'The Covarrubias series' is a series of large scale watercolor/charcoal drawings based on a texts from Miguel Covarrubias's book 'Island of Bali'. The titles of the drawings are literally taken from the book, yet I interpreted the texts in my own way, making it a story of my own.
Indonesian art & culture has had a big influence on my development as an artist. I studied fine art at ITB, Bandung, Java in my last year of my studies as an exchange student from the Willem de Kooning Art Academy in Rotterdam. Once I had my bachelor degree in the Netherlands in fine art, I moved to Bali where I worked in my studio and made an almost anthropological study of Balinese hindu culture.
Miguel Covarrubias' book, 'The Island of Bali', first published in 1937, is an anthropological studies on the island's culture. The author, an artist himself, writes in a visually rich language, which inspired me to make the series. Balinese culture is often on the verge of beauty and something disquieting. Disquieting beauty has always been major element in my work.
The series, even though literally based on texts from the book, are not illustrations. They are autonomous art pieces, pulled from the book and taken into my own visual world.
'Kembar buncing; the royal twin couple Mesula & Mesuli'
150 x 180 cm, watercolour, charcoal & pastel on paper, 2014
The story tells of twins of the different sex who, when of a high caste, are believed to be married in the womb of the mother, and must marry in real life too.
Higher caste twins of different sex are seen to be bringers of good luck.
Mesula and Mesuli were twins of Royal blood in the story.
150 x 180 cm, watercolour, charcoal & pastel on paper, 2014
The story tells of twins of the different sex who, when of a high caste, are believed to be married in the womb of the mother, and must marry in real life too.
Higher caste twins of different sex are seen to be bringers of good luck.
Mesula and Mesuli were twins of Royal blood in the story.
