Wayan Bawa Antara

Born in the village of Peliatan in Ubud, Wayan Bawa Antara comes from a family of artists which then continuously triggered and encouraged him to explore his talent. As one of the most favored Balinese artists today, he is known to work on realistic style, influenced by the modern life and inspired by the rich and vibrant culture of his homeland. His works are currently exhibited at Griya Art Gallery until June 9.
How did you become an artist?
I first got into painting due to the environmental factor of being born into a family of artists. My grandfather, father, uncle and my brothers were all traditional Ubud painters. Since childhood, painting became part of my daily routine to fill the spare time after school.
What are your sources of inspiration?
Something beautiful that makes my heart and soul happy and peaceful. I also draw inspiration from nature and the traditional Balinese culture, as seen in various religious rituals and arts.
Why do you pursue a realist style?
I pursue this style because I love the beauty of forms and details of an object, be it in nature, art or culture. With the realist style, I can also practice patience. I also believe that it’s a foundation that must be strengthened first before stepping into another style. In a nutshell, in the style of realism, I can capture the diverse beauty of today’s life as it is, so that the paintings I created could be the historical records that depict the life in Bali today.
What is the characteristic of your painting?
The characteristics, if I think personally, may be seen from the technique which is quite unique. My painting technique I pursue today is a result of a long journey through various experiments that I have done since I began studying at Institute of Arts in Denpasar in 1993. It has a combination of various techniques, including the traditional one, and media. As a result, my paintings may look modern, but the traditional roots can still be traced and felt.
About your paintings at Griya Art Gallery.
The paintings exhibited are my latest works with mixed media on canvas. Here, I portray the sacred Balinese religious rituals which haven’t been exposed much. In my work titled Penuh Semangat, I depict the parekan (temple servants) who are full of spirit running under the sun at Samuantiga Temple. Then, there are also Tari Baris Presi Canglongleng which is a very sacred dance in the village of Hamlet Penaban in Karangasem, Wayang Wong which is about a very sacred dance whose existence is already very rare in Bali, and Mohon Berkah Dewa Baruna that portrays the ritual of nunas tirta (obtaining holy water) among the waves of the ocean.