Provenance:          Neal Adair Prince Trust u/a/d 10.18.1999

Mr. Neal Prince

Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem, Artist (Gifted to Mr. Prince to express his kindness as his crafts were incorporated into the Inter-Continental Hotel being built in 1964.

Footnote ¹:           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. At the time, the area only offered local lodgings for travelers. 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 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. However, Mr. Prince selected the above Garduda. Unfortunately, this item one of the examples that Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem Great Grandfather had carved. It is custom in Indonesia that if you offer a gift to another person, they must accept their generosity to avoid the presenter being insulted outright. Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem presented the Garduda to Mr. Prince and noted to Mr. Prince the Provence of this item as Mr. Prince accepted this works in an honorable manner. This once Garuda was once used as a base of pillars, which at one time support a roof of a Balinese house. In the early 1980’s, the intricate of Garuda Statues that were done by Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem were and are to this day considered the hallmark and the highest standards of Balinese wood carving examples.

Footnote ²:            In Balinese house, the statue of Garuda is also used as base of pillars which support the roof. But the pinnacle of all is the intricate Garuda Vishnu statue that can be found in virtually all art shops on the road from Denpasar to Ubud. In early 1980’s the intricate Garuda statue, by Ida Bagus Tilem was considered the hallmark of Balinese wood carving.

Ida Bagus Tilem (1947-1993), Indonesian, Master Woodcarver

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 are of his childhood days. Preferring the company of his elders to that of the roaming village children, 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, 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, the child 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 he was able to sell to the random tourist, and 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 has more than 100 apprentices and the same number of fully fledged carvers working with him. 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. Now a father of four children, Tilem is 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 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. At the time, the area only offered local lodgings for travelers. 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 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. However, Mr. Prince selected the above Garduda. Unfortunately, this item one of the examples that Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem Great Grandfather had carved. It is custom in Indonesia that if you offer a gift to another person, they must accept their generosity to avoid the presenter being insulted outright. Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem presented the Garduda to Mr. Prince and noted to Mr. Prince the Provence of this item as Mr. Prince accepted this works in an honorable manner. This once Garuda was once used as a base of pillars, which at one time support a roof of a Balinese house. In the early 1980’s, the intricate of Garuda Statues that were done by Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem were and are to this day considered the hallmark and the highest standards of Balinese wood carving examples.  Mr. Ida Bagus Tilem died in 1993.