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Wayan Suparta

"I grew up in Kamasan, where I learned about art from my father, Ketut Rugek. Now I am devoted to classic styles of painting. I use a mixed media to paint on blacu, a white cotton cloth widely employed in traditional Balinese art. I am inspired by animal tales, folktales, and Balinese stories. I have exhibited my work in Ancol, Jakarta in 1996; Istana Negara, Jakarta in 1998; and at the Art Center Denpasar, Bali, from 1986 until 1999."

"Bali's smallest district is Klungkung, located between Gianyar and Karangasem. Upon reaching the town center, you arrive at Kertha Gosa, the Hall of Justice. Surrounded by a moat, this is a superb example of Klungkung architecture, best known for its ceiling paintings in the Klungkung style. Kertha Gosa is famous for its painted ceiling of punishments in hell, animal tales, and an earthquake chart, while the Bale Kambang building has paintings of Buddhist lore, folktales, and traditional astrology.

"Kamasan is the name of a village in the Klungkung regency. This name has long been associated with the unique and classical painting traditions of old Bali. When the great Gelgel kingdom in central Bali moved its puri, or palace, to Klungkung in the Sixteenth Century, the artists of the village were ordered to adorn the puris and temples with paintings.

The Kamasan artists used colors from natural sources. Black for example is derived from charcoal while other colors came from many leaves and fruits. These natural pigments are still used today, especially in the more traditional forms of Kamasan art."