country decor

Togog Suyasa crafts this weathered wood wall panel, inspired by the rich cultural history of his country. Hand-carved from Balinese albesia wood, the relief sculpture depicts Buddha's face, brushed with a gilded finish.

Inspired by the beauty of her country's flora, Made Mulyani presents this wall relief panel, carved by hand from suar wood. Depicting a host of hibiscus, or "shoe flowers," the rectangular relief panel features a natural finish that showcases the unique grain of the wood.

Proud of his cultural heritage, Rudy Adnyana shares a powerful moment during the Barong dance, known as Ngurek. Male dancers recreate the part of the story where the soldiers stab themselves after the evil witch Rangda has put them under a spell. However Barong counters the spell by not allowing the men to be hurt by their keris (daggers). In this part of the dance, the men are in a trance, swaying back and forth, for it is believed spirits control their bodies so they do not get hurt during the performance. Women hold out smoldering chisels, believed to support the trance.

"This sculpture represents the way to keep forgiving each other, loving each other, and to be at peace with yourself, because we are all brothers," explains Balinese artisan Wayan Rendah, conveying this vision in his superbly hand-carved relief panel.

"I is inspired by the turmoil of the world, which is completely uncertain, which causes unrest and difficulties for all countries, Where each party shows a high sense of ego and feels the most right, without realizing it.

"We are all brothers and sisters in this world. There should be no such thing as enmity. In the Hindu sloka verses, the Wedadikatan Sloka — "Wasumdhwam Kutumbhaka" — means let's sit together and shake hands looking for a way to an agreement to achieve world peace."

The artist continues, "The way to make peace for the common good in society and the world is to mediate, to sit down together to find the best solution for problems, and to solve them for the sake of mutual peace and the world. My hope is that all people can respect each other to avoid hostility and injustice in life and society.

"We must forgive and love one another in order to achieve peace. We are all brothers and sisters in this world where there should be no such thing as hatred.

"Love and peace are powerful concepts that inevitably go hand in hand, because one does not exist without the other."