Page 65 - Inner Gazing

PUTU BONUZ SUDIANA where he conveys his expression. According to Bonuz, composition
The Rhytmic is the starting point of painting, which flows in a process that tends
to provide space and freedom, spontaneity in playing with visual
Putu (“Bonuz”) Sudiana is an artist known for intensely exploring the aspects, colors, techniques and effects played out, splashes, melting,
path of abstract painting. In presenting his works, Bonuz seems to be occasional marks, the rhythm sometimes arrested—everything flows
strongly influenced by the condition of his ‘self’ and the surrounding just intuitively. When Bonuz deems that everything is harmonious, he
environment. Abstraction, as a genre of painting in which the most takes the decision to finish.
essential fine art elements are the form itself, is indeed very close to
the artist’s personal and inner expression, which uses language that Spirituality, religion, and Balinese culture are indeed the principal
tends to be formalistic. But in fact if examined further, the case of ideas in his work. Visually, however, not all of Bonuz’s works present
formalism in abstract art is not as simple as might be imagined. There an abstraction of Balinese religion and culture. He tends to be more
are layers of meaning that can develop within it. A deeper appreciation attracted by nuances of color that he feels can express the essence of
about what is actually being done can be one way to see, read, and the spirit of Bali—harmonious nuances of color. Or even if he presents
feel abstract painting. contrast, Bonuz will give another color element, or in Bonuz’s terms,
as an element and color nuance between two contrasts. Just as the
Bonuz, who in his daily life is both an artist and a temple priest, is atmosphere of dusk, or sandikala, the boundary between light and
certainly close to various religious activities in the Balinese Hindu dark, day and night, inspires Bonuz to present aspects of color in his
tradition. He is accustomed to recite mantra and ring the ritual bell, works.
and initimate with the various symbols and elements of offerings in
Balinese ritual tradition. These have great influence on his creative Besides painting, Bonuz also writes poetry which, often combined
process. Moreover there is Bonuz’s attraction to sound, which is also with music, becomes a performance art. This is an expansion and
important in the process of creating images in his works. Bonuz exploration of the possibilities of the creative ideas that provide him
tries to envelop these elements in his consciousness, which are then space to be present in his work.
consciously displayed as a starting point in the works presented in
this exhibition.
The Mystical Rhythm series is the title of several paintings he presents
here, in which Bonuz tries to convey the idea of perceiving elements of
sound and movement, wrapped in thick mystical nuance in the frame
of spirituality. The sound aspect translates into color, because color
captures the bright and dark tones; the contrast of harmony is a form of
Bonuz’s appreciation of sound. Movement translates into expressive
and rhythmic lines. The mystical aspect is presented in color choices
which, he says, tend to be nuanced as “between” (antara). “Between”
for Bonuz is his translation of dusk, or sandikala, the time between
when evening changes to night. It is there, according to Bonuz, that he
finds the peak moment of nuance and the magical.

In his creative process, Bonuz always begins with the process of
exploring ideas. The idea referred to in the context of Bonuz’s creative
process is how he tries to understand the canvas as a space, the field

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