“Our home is not your circus“
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Acrylic, spray paint and edited photos on wood
Inspired by the work of Made Bayak :
Sanghyan, the secret of Pertiwi Dance
Bayak, a Balinese artist, musician and activist, first became known for his plasticology, works of art made from plastic waste. With this work, he wants to draw attention to the enormous attack on Balinese nature by investors who profit from mass tourism. His goal was to pull the curtain on his home, that is commonly perceived as a tropical paradise.
I worked on my piece with a similar intention, wanting to accentuate Bayaks message. I did more research on the dancer portrayed on his collage and its significance.
Sanghyan is a traditional dance intended to invoke the spirit of Pertiwi, the Godess of Nature (mother nature). It is considered a very sacred ritual reserved for religious ceremonies. Though today you can find videos of this ritual, filmed by tourists who had waited in a long line to be able to watch the dance. In the videos I watched it seemed much less "sacred" as I was expecting. It felt as if even the dancers weren't taking it seriously, as if it was the 10th performance of the night.
I found it to be an interesting layer to add to the work, that the growth in tourism wasn't just affecting the ecosystem, but also the locals relation to its history and traditions.
I included 2 poems, written in Javanese script :
“Aku Ingin Mencintai Negeri Ini dengan Sederhana”
(Taufiq Ismail)
Aku ingin mencintai negeri ini dengan sederhana
Seperti hujan yang jatuh ke tanah
Membawa kesuburan, membawa kehidupan,
Tanpa pernah meminta imbalan.
Namun kini pohon-pohon tak lagi berbisik,
Sungai-sungai berhenti menyanyi,
Dan hutan berubah menjadi abu,
Sementara kita hanya menatap dari kejauhan.
This poem speaks about a simple love for the land, symbolized by the rain, and the painful transformation of nature—forests turning to ashes, rivers losing their song—as a result of human indifference. It’s a reflection on the environmental damage caused by modern development and the disconnection between people and the earth
Ibu Pertiwi”
Kulihat ibu pertiwi
Sedang bersusah hati
Air matanya berlinang
Mas intannya terkenang
Hutan gunung sawah lautan
Simpanan kekayaan
Kini ibu sedang lara
Merintih dan berdoa
This poem/song personifies Indonesia as a mother who is grieving for her land, which is abundant with natural resources but at times damaged and neglected. It highlights the connection between the people and their land and is both a patriotic and environmental plea for care and respect for nature