Art Block Collection: Wayang Kulit

Wayang Kulit is a form of traditional shadow puppet performance which is part of the culture of Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia. It is characterized by the use of carved, leather-made puppets based on characters from Hindu epics which are projected from behind a screen with a light.

The artist takes on several characters from the wayang kulit in this collection.


Wayang Kulit: Batari Supraba, acrylic on art block, 2018

Princess Dewi Supraba is a character from the Mahabharata who is an apsara, a female cloud spirit in Hindu culture. She is the wife of Arjuna who became the king of the heavens. 





Wayang Kulit: Prabu Ramawijaya (Rama), acrylic on art block, 2018

Rama is the central protagonist of the Hindu epic Ramayana and the 7th avatar of the Hindu protection deity Vishnu.





Wayang Kulit: Jaya Anggeni, acrylic on art block, 2018

Jaya Anggeni is a monkey soldier from the Ramayana epic. 




Wayang Kulit: Dewa Ruci, acrylic on art block, 2018

Dewa Ruci is a dwarf deity from the Mahabharata epic. In the story, he met Bima who is on a journey to find the Water of Life.





Wayang Kulit: Srikandi, acrylic on art block, 2018

Srikandi is a character from the Mahabharata epic who is the child of Drupada, King of Panchala. In most versions of the story, Srikandi is male but born female.





Wayang Kulit: Bima Bratasena, acrylic on art block, 2018

Bima is one of the protagonists of the Mahabharata epic. He is usually portrayed as a fierce, strong warrior with a heart of gold. He is the second-born of the Pandavas, five brothers who are the central characters in the Mahabharata.





Wayang Kulit: Kumbakarna, acrylic on art block, 2018

Kumbakarna is the younger brother of Ravana, the main antagonist of the Ramayana epic. Despite his sheer size and appetite, he is popularly described as a mighty warrior.





Wayang Kulit: Anoman (Hanuman), acrylic on art block, 2018

Hanuman is a divine monkey deity who is a central character in the Ramayana epic. He is the companion to the deity Rama.





Wayang Kulit: Batara Gana (Ganesha), acrylic on art block, 2018

Ganesha is an elephant-headed deity who is one of the most-worshiped deities in Hinduism. Ganesha is widely worshiped as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the deity of intellect and wisdom. In the Mahabharata, Ganesha served as a scribe who transcribed a poem from the sage Vyasa.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

COSMIC CONQUERORS [SOLD]

Image
  Cosmic Conquerors , acrylic on canvas, 2023. 30" X 20" In the early days of rocket science, no one knew what spaceflight was like, which is why engineers flew animals into space to test the survivability of spaceflight and learn how to launch and land living beings safely and to better understand how spaceflight might affect human bodies. These efforts paved the way to the subsequent human exploration of space.  Animal space explorers The first animals to reach space were fruit flies, which were launched on Feb. 20, 1947 by the United States. The flies were placed aboard captured German V-2 rockets in an experiment to study radiation exposure at high altitudes. In 3 minutes and 10 seconds of flight, the fruit flies reached an altitude of 68 miles before parachuting back to Earth. The flies miraculously survived the spaceflight. The first animal to orbit the Earth was a dog named Laika, launched aboard Sputnik 2 by the Soviet Union on November 3, 1957. However, Laika died of
Read more

SHRINE OF HARMONY

Image
  Shrine of Harmony , acrylic on canvas, 2023. 24" X 16" The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac symbolize the earthly branches. In order, they are the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs has a unique character that differentiates them from one another. Every individual is different to every other individual, as they attach themselves to factors (like race, religion, hobbies, etc.) which make these individuals appear similar although these things are shallow. Although some of the signs are conflicting with others (e.g. rat and horse, ox and goat, etc.) and may struggle to feel in sync with each other, building mutual respect and tolerance as well as accepting and appreciating differences in each other are vital for stability. Despite said differences, everyone is equal in their basic wish for peace and happiness. The painting is inspired by visits to Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, where
Read more

NINE DRAGONS: CELESTIAL PROWESS

Image
  Nine Dragons: Celestial Prowess , acrylic on canvas, 2023. 20" X 20" The artist welcomes the Year of the Dragon with this painting which depicts nine dragons facing an orb of fire.  The painting is loosely based on another painting of nine dragons , which was designed such that there is a central dragon at the center `blowing' Qi. The dragon at the center approaches the flaming orb, and the dragons to the right and left twist towards the center, with each exhibiting different gestures. The dragon captures the essence of the sun and the moon, and the number nine represents the endless positive energy of heaven and earth. The artist includes background elements like clouds, waves, fire and cliffs, with the intent to include the five elements (earth, fire, water, wood, metal) aspect into the painting.  earth - cliffs fire - flaming orb water - waves wood - green color metal - gold color
Read more