Nuart Sculpture Park | Where art is for everyone

IF YOU LIVE in Jakarta, Bandung or Bali, most likey you would have come across an artwork created by Nyoman Nuarta. Among his pieces are the Garuda statue at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the Arjuna statue just outside Monas and the hand sculpture in Setraduta housing complex in Bandung, to name a few.

Born on Nov. 14, 1951, this Balinese artist does not look like he is slowing down, escpecially with his latest work, the Garud Wisnu Kencana, which will stand up to153 meters tall in Ungasan, Bali, and is due to be completed in August 2018 as a gift to the nation. It is so tall, especially compared to the surrounding resorts and residential area, you could see it from a landing plane.

Nyoman Nuarta’s Balines roots might explain his talent, with Bali culturally known to be home to stone and wood scultors, however Nuarta decided to choose a different media: copper, brass and steel. Being a big fan of his publicly displayed art, it was only a matter of time before I visited Nuart Sculpture Park located within the Setraduta complex in Bandung.

Living up to my expectation, the gallerycum-park was beautiful. Entering its gates, we were welcomed by a few works in his signature style. Nyoman Nuarta, in my opinion, has this gothic eerie feel to his work whether the piece is made of metal or other material. His art contains a lot of emotion and movement, not to mention detail that could lead one to marvel for hours. He alwasys has a concept behind his work, which in the art world, to my understanding, is not a necessity. There’s a story behind every piece of art.

Roaming around the gallery shows the wide skill range and creativity of Nyoman Nuarta. Many of the pieces are inspired by his family, especially the strong women around him, the environment and important events. The faces of his children and grandchildren are muses, which clearly pop up in his work. A mother orangutan holding her baby amongst tree stumps tells the story of the dying species along with its environment. One of the most prominent pieces is “Nightmare”, located in the middle of the plastered indoor gallery, which reminds us of the women mutilated not long after the 1998 incident in Jakarta.

“Moral of the story: We should cherish the women in our lives that have given us life,” says one the interns on duty that day.

Listening to the stories behind some of the pieces I realize that despite the work being made of strong elements, there is a deeply sensitive man caring and observing the world that we live in today. Well, there is also a cute seemingly-fluffy sheep made of metal, inspired during a trip to New Zealand, which doesn’t necessarily need any explation.

The gallery itself is a piece of art.

Covered top to bottom in plaster and wood, as is the current trend for houses, cafes and restaurants. It balances out the details of Nuarta’s work and creates the perfect canvas for its shadows. It is also a well-designed place as a the spaces are not just room after room, but more of an open space where you can see most of the artwork. The exterior façade is far from plain, decorated with blue glass combined with detailed walls. In addition, there is an amphitheater for art performances, surrounded by a lush green environment overlooking a gushing river. Amongst the greenery is some of Nuarta’s larger works, including my favorite, a blue whale with its disconnected tail not too far from its head. The sporadic artwork becomes a kind of hunt, as you don’t know where you’ll find the next piece. Not to forget the restaurant, where visitors can take a break, because surely the park will take a lot of time. Whether you enjoy art and Nuarta’s work, or not, the park has a way to entertain anyone who visits.

And of course, Nuart Sculpture Par has a souvenir shop, probably unlike any other. Aside from books and park memorabilia, the shop also offers various and interesting artworks and wearable items such as clothes, watches, notebooks and wallets from local artist. So there’s a little bit for everyone, leaving us to believe that art is for everyone. [Sources : by The Jakarta Post |Words: Murni A Ridha]