Artist:
Ida Bagus Tilem (1936-1993), Indonesia
Date:
1964
Title:
“Golden Dragon”
Medium:
Wood Carving with various decor of stones and color glass
Materials:
Native Balinese Jati Wood (Teak Wood), Natural Stones,
Color Glass, Natural Gold Color
Markings:
Natural Grains of the Wood Color with native markings of traditional mannerisms surrounding the sculpture of the dragon.
Dimensions: 25” x
8-3/4”
Framed:
No.
Inventory No: NAPT.1999.000446
Provenance: Neal
Prince Trust u/a/d 10.18.1999
Mr. Neal A. Prince
Mr. Ida
Bagus Tilem, Artist
Mas Ubud, Bali – Indonesia
Footnote: In
1964, Inter-Continental Hotel was granted permission by the Indonesian Government to be the first International Hotel to be
built and operate by a Multi-national Corporation in Bail.
Footnote:
Item was acquired from the Artist as a sample, in order to become a show piece for the Lobby of the Bali Beach Hotel,
to illustrate the craftsmanship of the local artists. This was a way of exhibiting the great talent to the Hotel Guest to
stimulate the local economy, of works by the local Artists, of which Mr. Prince was able to promote and flourish a cottage
industry to this day has become an International Industry of well acclaimed works of art.
Ida Bagus Tilem (1947-1993), Indonesian, Master Carver
Born in the
village of Mas, Bali, in 1936, into a long tradition of family woodcarvers, Ida Bagus Tilem showed an early
fascination for the art which was to become his whole life. Despite the relative material poverty of his childhood, his fondest
memories were of his childhood days. Preferring the company of his elders to that of the roaming village children, as
he spent his days seated at his father's side on a mat on the hard-packed earth of the family compound, watching the artist
transformed the inanimate wood into the most strangely beautiful carvings. Life as a child in Bali is full of wonder, and Ida Bagus Tilem's
favorite evenings were spent following his uncle's Wayang Kulit Shadow Puppet shows from village to village, his father's
performances in Wayang Wong Drama and Topeng Mask Dance, and listening to the vivid tales of his grandfather. This strong
influence on his basis of thinking and philosophy of life at a most impressionable age, which he is now fully able to appreciate,
instilled in him an unquenchable creative desire. He spent hours struggling with his father's carving tools to bring to life
small off-cuts of wood, remnants of his father's creations. His father, Ida Bagus Nyana, born in 1912, and was as a young
man, recognized as one of Bali's most "talented sculptors of wood". A quiet, unpretentious, and unassuming man, Ida
Bagus Nyana allowed his son to develop his skills unhindered, gently stressing the importance of patience and the total no-compatibility
of materialism with creativity. Slowly, he developed his talent, despite battered hands from his first few attempts with
his father's razor-sharp chisels, carving tiny animals and birds and traditional figures from the Wayang stories. These items
he was able to sell to the random tourist, and these items were sold at the only art gallery on the island, at that time,
in Sanur. He saved up for a bicycle to go to school, and at high-school age used to ride 20 km to Denpasar every Sunday afternoon
for the week's school in town, returning the following Saturday to immerse himself once more in his carving. His parents could
not afford the expenses of schooling, so he carved for his education. In 1958, because of family financial problems, Tilem
decided to leave school and set up a studio in Mas, at his home, where he sold his own work, and was able to contribute to
the family income. Local boys used to come and sit with him. He now had more than 100 apprentices and the same number of fully
fledged carvers working with him with time. Recalling his own frustration, as a youth, trying to develop his skill and knowledge
on the few materials available, he furnishes wood and tools to those as yet unable to buy their own, helps them to use material
to its fullest possible potential, and then provides an outlet for sales in his studio. Being a father of four children, Tilem was
ever conscious of the importance of family tradition and his cultural heritage. Since his first trip abroad, when he was chosen
to represent Indonesia at the New York World Fair in 1964, he has had numerous overseas exhibitions and demonstrations
in Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, Germany, Austria, and Mexico. In 1962, Inter-Continental Hotel was granted permission by the Indonesian Government to be the first International
Hotel to be built and operate by a Multi-national Corporation in Bail. At the time, this hotel was the only hotel in the area to
offer local lodgings for International Travelers that would be, at the time, that had flown in from the newly schedule Pan-Am
flights. It was Mr. Prince’ creatively, which became Inter-Continental Hotels Policy to have each hotel be too designed,
in all mannerism and flair, that each Hotel would reflect by design with their customs and artistic flair. Thus, Mr. Prince
was introduced to the local master of woodcarving - Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem. Mr. Tilem presented to Mr. Prince with various small
samples of his work to illustrate his masterful skills and great abilities as a woodcarver, which the Trust continues to retain
those items within the collection to this day. Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem accepted Mr. Prince’s commission to supply the newly
Bali Beach Inter-Continental Hotel with vast native wood carvings, stones carvings, face mask and various other wood carvings that
would represent the Indonesian culture in the highest respect. This large commission meant that Mr. Tilem would supply the
complete Hotel with all of the Hotel Lamp Bases for every room within the hotel, the Lobby Sculptures, along with the Restaurant
Sculptures and various other woodworks that Mr. Prince required to have the hotel exhibit an Indonesian flair. Mr. Ida Bagus
Tilem also consulted with Mr. Prince with the production of other craftsmen that Mr. Prince needed to furnish the Hotel’s
Pool area in the same traditionally mannerism of stone sculpture carved from soft volcanic rock (Paras), which in the past
were used to adorn temples and palaces. This consolation by Mr. Tilem would allow the works of art to flow with Mr. Ida Bagus
Tilem works of art throughout the Hotel property. Once the Hotel was completed and the commissions were fulfilled. Mr. Ida
Bagus Tilem sincerely expresses his deepest, honorable gratitude to Mr. Prince for those profitable commissions in 1966. In
by doing so, Mr. Tilem offered to him any works of art that were within his studio in Ubud.
