I is for Introducing

Former Editor Ed Schroeder gives us this introduction: Christians are 1% of the population of Bali. That's 30K of 3 million. In that "little flock" we came to know two artists, Ketut Lasia and Nyoman Darsane. These superb craftsmen do their daily work "crossing" Balinese painting and sculpture with the Christian Gospel. A bas-relief by Lasia welcomes worshippers to the Balinese Protestant Christian Church in Legian. Both have exhibited in Europe. Friends of ours in Germany know their work. Marie and I have seen their names and photos of their work in IMAGE magazine, the journal of the Asian Christian Artists Association. But they are unknown--as far as we know--in the USA.

The Artist Ketut Lasia

Ketut Lasia's own life story is below. The text is my translation from a German book about his work, "Christus auf Bali" [Christ on Bali] expanded a bit from conversations with him in his home here. He's seen our version and approves.

"My name is Ketut Lasia. I was born on March 3, 1945 as the youngest son in a Hindu family in Peliatan, close to Ubud, the village of artists on the island of Bali in Indonesia.

"My parents were no painters. They were simple rice-farmers. Their life's work consisted in growing rice, the daily food needed for us children. In my childhood I went to primary school, but no further. My parents were too poor to provide for any further education for me and my siblings. As a child I often went to the painters in our village. I watched them for hours and was amazed at the way they could take the images and pictures in their minds and turn them into paintings. I wanted to be a painter too.

"After finishing primary school -- I was 12 years old -- I worked with my parents on the family farm. I was not happy as a farmer, and I tried to enter other fields, including the police force. But none of my attempts worked out. At age 18 I left the family and moved to the home of a painter in our village. His name was Wayan Turun. I stayed with this master for about 5 years and learned from him how to do Balinese paintings.

"Wayan had many friends who were Christians. When he was together with them, I often sat in the corner doing my painting, and so listened [eavesdropped] as they spoke about the Bible. But I was still too young, understood hardly anything of their conversations, and didn't join in. Not until later, when I myself had become a Christian, did I grasp that the Christians wanted to convert my teacher.