peace ring

Through the wondrous sound produced only by the venerable violin, butterflies rise above to call for world peace. In harmony with the lively tempo played in the violin's treble clef, a delighted musician raises her posture to each note, with her luxurious dress and voluminous hair flowing in the rhythm and flowers fully immersed in listening. Balinese artist Ida Ratna Ningrum utilizes to the power of musical expression to bring life to the canvas in 'Peace of Symphony'. Painting in a realist style, Ida experiments with symbolic, yet unrealistic components such as the butterflies that emerge from song. Casting the entire musical scene with red light to symbolize love and passion, Ida suggests that the path to peace requires a harmonious symphony.

Balinese artist Made Pasek Kusuma Wijay chooses to express his plea for world peace in a painting depicting a woman's prayer. "The state of the world is not fine, given the many wars, conflicts between countries and very heartbreaking human tragedies," says the artist. "Let us pray sincerely that the world situation will return to peace as we strive to live a more simple, carefree life with mutual respect and tolerance between our existing differences. Despite the conditions of the world, we always yearn for peace itself.

"Galloping across a surreal mountain landscape, a team of horses carries forward the hope of an entire society from the lofty reality of the highlands to the life of the commoner below. Riding on the back of a bird resembling the Hindu god of strength, Garuda, a faceless woman prays to the divine spirits, having passed through a period of blood and turbulence. Garuda also prays with his human-like hands as if to encourage himself to continue his mission of vigilance.

"Reflected in the grass of the mountains, the woman's prayers mirror above and below the path of the raptor, symbolizing the transverse support from across the country for her mission. A handshake arises from the woman's mind in a floral accord between two immortal parties.

"In a world plagued by conflict and the horrors of violence, the woman's prayer, the subtle handshake and the impressive flight of the god of strength prescribe peace for all of humanity. Realism cannot deliver this humane desire to reality.

"Scaled to surreal proportions, the woman's prayers make multiple appearances in increasing size, while the mighty bird soars above an entire team of horses, with various hands apparent."

A beautiful paisley print in shades of Caribbean blue, peach, light olive, and white adorns this skirt by Hari and Arthur. Handmade from rayon, it features slits on the front for a flirty, feminine touch. A comfortable elastic waistband makes this a piece you will reach for often.

As a new day dawns on the orange horizon, every subject of the Earth awakens to a heavenly glow. The line between realism and fantasy stimulates the human imagination just as dreaming of a world flourishing with peace.

Ida Ratna Ningrum conceptualizes the beginning of a new era of peace in this enchanting painting as she depicts an idyllic view into a blooming world of nature. The artist explains that the young girl sits protected under a tree in a thriving green field of harmonious flowers, far from the clutches of monolithic urban society. Finding hope in nature, the young girl embraces a dim globe to bring rejuvenation and a return to innocence, symbolizing the human concept of harmony.

Circling above, a flock of doves foreshadows the cleansing of the world's conscience, themselves being symbols of purity and modesty since ancient times. As humanity is both destined and doomed to a cyclical existence, the arrival of ancient symbols signals great changes to come.

"My definition of world peace is the desire of every human being, all who decide and choose to be at peace in their own way. If humans realize we can all choose to make peace by asking God to give us a heart that is peaceful and calm, then there will be no war. My hope for world peace is that all human beings can individually create something good and respect each other, and then peace will be established," the artist confides.

"We as God's creatures must have peaceful feelings and hearts. A peaceful heart allows us to forgive each other for all mistakes, maintain good relations with fellow creatures of God and be grateful for what we have and are. If we can live from the heart, we will feel grateful and will always be at peace" says Aldi.

In his painting, free-flying doves symbolize world peace, and two hands shake in accord, forming a united, yet diverse forest in this dreamy acrylic painting fashioned in the surrealist style.

"Standing as a metaphor for the process of globalization and free movement of people, the greeting of hands is the unification of all continents of the globe, while the trees bridge the gap as the diverse population of the globe."

The artist says his painting interprets world peace as the only way for the relationship between God, humans and the environment to prosper — to be able to forgive each other and set aside common differences.

"Peace can be realized by mutual tolerance and love for one another. This can start from the smallest circle, namely the family. Instill a sense of love and peace from an early age so that in the future there will be mutual respect," artist Ida Bagus Lawa Bargawa confides.

"Peace is always beautiful, always starts with a smile, and any problem can be discussed. Differences are natural and, as long as they don't hurt each other, peace can still be realized. Peace is closely related to mutual tolerance, listening, and understanding, and reducing unnecessary debate is an important key.

"Keep peace and maintain it, because to get it requires a great sacrifice. Peace cannot be maintained by violence, it can only be achieved by understanding peace within ourselves and peace in the world. Peace is a daily, weekly, and monthly process of gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, and quietly building new structures.

"My hope for world peace is that what is an aspiration for the progress of a country will be reflected in the harmonious relations of all countries in this world. For this reason, all countries must be able to help each other stabilize the world's economy. Welfare within a country will have a good impact on the path of world peace."

To illustrate these thoughts and dreams, the artisan brings us a captivating composition made with traditional batik techniques. Crafted in Bali, it is a tribute to peace and unity, depicting joined hands surrounding the world and upholding the peace symbol. Every element adds a message of friendship, love and cooperation.

"My definition of world peace is the desire of every human being who decides and chooses to be at peace in their own way. If humans realize we can all choose to make peace by asking God to give us a heart that is peaceful and calm, then there will be no war. My hope for world peace is that all beings can individually create something good and respect each other, and then peace will be established," says Ida Ratna Ningrum.

The artist advocates for harmony and goodwill with her daydream-like painting "Pray for Peace." With idyllic realism, Ida creates a desert landscape symbolic of societal conflicts and scarcity, dominated by a prayerful young woman in a pink dress.

The artist explains that the cat and white rabbit symbolize rebirth and new beginnings, respectively, as they accompany the girl in her quest for peace. Circling above, white doves soar freely, symbolizing the release of a new period of peace under a pure blue sky. Thriving around the young woman, cacti, prickly pears and aloe represent the protection provided by mother nature, even in times of friction. An encouraging reminder of human resilience, the painting calls for a new peaceful era on planet Earth.

"Peace is the desire of every human being around the world," says the artist. "Prayer is a method of expression from a person to God and the universe. A sad girl sees a beautiful world without any feelings of peace, as if there is always war. She prays to God that the world will always be at peace without any war. If the world is free from war, the world will be peaceful, serene, and prosperous."

"Life is not seeking victory and fighting to kill each other, but playing beautiful and peaceful melodies to create a flowery world," says Harman while finishing a stunning expressionist composition that calls for peace and love. The Balinese artisan uses sharp brushstrokes and acrylic to depict a woman looking at the doves that fly around a floral peace symbol. Aimed to create an inspirational ambiance, this painting comes unstretched and signed.

With a diversity of instruments in an impromptu band, five women perform a concert in the blue Javanese night. Deep color creates the effect of a dream in this beautiful portrait. A guitar, violin and sultry sax keep to the beat of lively drums as a vocalist mesmerizes listeners. "Human life is like a rhythm," Harman says. "It needs harmony just like a music concert so that humans can have peace and a happy life."

A mysterious city, a shiny peace symbol and a woman looking at the scene compose Harman's newest creation inspired by expressionist themes. Using acrylic on canvas, the artist calls for peace with a stunning unstretched painting, transmitting a powerful message: "When there is peace, everyone must respect each other without hostility and not hurt each other."

The work also comes signed by the artist.

Balinese artist Harman adds mystic symbols to a vibrant expressionist and cubist composition made with acrylic colors. As the central element, a Balinese woman poses in a mystic depiction of femininity while little doves and flowers wander around the colorful background. "When a woman is silent, there are thousands of things on her mind, namely about mental peace and world peace," reflects the artist.

The artwork comes signed and unstretched.

Hand carved from crocodile wood, this sculpture of Buddha exudes peace and tranquility. Sitting atop a lotus leaf, the master's raised hand takes the shape of the Vitarka mudra, representing the benefits of teaching and learning. Presented by Indonesian artist Gung Gus, the sculpture features floral and songbird motifs painted on the surface.