Photos from the Setia Darma House of Masks & Puppets
Here are my photos from our visit to the mask and puppet museum near the village of Mas in Bali. There are many masks from major Balinese performance traditions of Calonarang, Topeng, and Wayang Wong included. There were also masks from other Indonesian isles and many other countries. I’ve included text from the museum placards (or at least the spirit of it) in the descriptions for each photo.
Enjoy! Full photo album from the trip forthcoming!
Your friendly neighborhood mask maker,
Tony
This trip was made possible in part by a grant from the Regional Arts & Culture Council.
I started this blog to chronicle my 2014 trip to Bali — and it’s almost here! In just 30 days, I will be flying from San Francisco to Taipei, and then from Taipei to Bali. When I travel, even small distances, the reality of the event hits me when I get in the car or approach the ticketing counter at the airport. Sometimes I don’t even pack until the day I’m leaving. This time, however, it seems like the month I have left to prepare is just barely enough to get it all done.
Balinese character mask. Crooked teeth are signs of comic characters.Balinese monkey mask. This one has a movable jaw!
I am going to Bali for an intensive month of study in the arts of traditional wooden mask carving and topeng (Balinese masked dance). I will also have periodic classes in kecak (the monkey chant), Alexander Technique, and yoga; and symposia on the similarities between Western and Balinese mask traditions. This program is offered through the Dell’Arte International School of Blue Lake, CA. I like the the way that it’s structured to allow you to study masks from both sculptural and performative points of view.
It’s so exciting to be able to immerse myself in study and in a new culture!
This is a long-awaited opportunity. I have been working as a mask-maker the last 10 years. Most of the last 8 years have been in Portland, Oregon. I have spent that time creating masks for a variety of theatre and dance companies, and each collaboration has brought new ideas into the mix. I’m proud of the work I’ve done. I also feel ready for a bigger push, one that can help me find my way to the next level. I feel ready to study under a master.
