Sounds of the Mountain –
Living in Gallery with Putu Sudiana Bonuz

It’s always great to see Bonuz–what Putu Sudiana is affectionately called–lights up the room, even after he’s pulled a whole day of painting. His previous solo exhibition at Komaneka Gallery was one of the gallery’s last exhibitions before the first lockdown. Titled “Soundability”, the exhibition was inspired by the sounds of the universe.

This time, we are invited to ‘see’ how Bonuz listens to the Sounds of the Mountain. ‘Sounds of the Mountain’ continues Bonuz’s artistic exploration during the pandemic, culminating in Mountain Series #1-20 which were all done within the 24 hours of “living” in Komaneka Gallery in accordance with his request to divide the hours into 2 days.

Besides being a painter, Bonuz is also a poet as well as a priest at his local temple. This multifaceted identity has given him endless outlets for his self-expression that feeds into each other. “Bahasa ekspresi tidak hanya dalam kanvas, karena ekspresi itu tanpa batas / my language of expression isn’t limited to a canvas; it’s boundless,” he said half-jokingly in the gallery.

Bonuz was born in Nusa Penida, off Bali’s southeast coast, and was the fi rst of seven children. He has 3 children, and his eldest son is a videographer who sometimes accompanies Bonuz and shoots footage for the artist’s Instagram. Now Bonuz lives and works in Batubulan, Gianyar, and has a big, neat studio albeit spattered with paint on its walls and fl oors.

For the Balinese, Gunung Agung dominates their home island both physically and symbolically as a personifi cation of Mt Meru, the central axis of the universe in Hinduism. When it’s active, the volcano can both give life and take it away. This awe and admiration of the mountain is the reason why Bonuz calls the Balinese people “pemuja gunung / mountain worshippers.”

But as someone who grew up in Nusa Penida, known for its wild beaches and seaweed farms, why does Bonuz look towards the mountain? In a time of turbulence and uncertainty, the mountain offers stillness and a sure sense of direction. “Kita bisa belajar dari gunung, ibu yang memberi banyak hal / We can learn so much from the mountain, the mother that gives us abundance.” In a way, the mountain is also where Bonuz’s many identities come together: his meditations, emotions, and beliefs are all manifest on his canvases.

18 October 2021
Gek Sri Wahyuni