'The Months, "The Months"

The Balinese calendar is depicted by Nyoman Witarsa on palm leaf panels framed by bamboo rods. Intricate designs reveal those days of the year most suitable for performing certain activities, communicating the influence of each day upon the whole. The Balinese astrological system resembles the Western calendar in that the year is divided into twelve months, however each month comprises 35 days. Each section features carvings of gods from the Balinese pantheon.

This beautiful wall hanging is created using ancestral skills. In the past, when there was no paper available, the Balinese wrote and drew on lontar, or palm leaves. Witarsa first selects suitable leaves. When they are dry, he sketches his designs and carves them with a knife. After all pictures and sentences are carved, he rubs the surface with a mix of burnt walnut and coconut oil. When the piece is dry, he cleans the leaf with cotton until only the carved lines appear in black. Finally, a bamboo covering is applied and the work is arranged in a series, piece by piece.