The Lontar Master
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ᝰ THE STORY
The hands of Wayan Muditadnyana are featured here reading his favorite handmade lontars— a type of dried palm leaf that is used to record sacred stories, religious texts, and poetry, seen as an important part of Balinese identity and cultural legacy, as it is passed on from one generation to the next one. The lontar is seen as a symbol of spiritual power and is considered to be a living archive of Balinese culture, stories, and knowledge. With fewer and fewer Balinese people able to read and write Sanskrit, it is today extremely hard to execute flawless lontars without any typographic mistakes, but Pak Mudita is a true exception and is believed to be the last remaining person able to perform such manuscripts.
The 92-year-old man is worried about the next generations and has kept a sharp sense of awareness rare to find among people of his age. “I have been wanting to teach the young children of Tenganan the high level of Balinese language. They cry because it is too hard! It seems they no longer have the ambition to learn new things. It makes me dizzy at times to see what our world has become,” he confesses to me, with a soft tone tinted with deep dismay and regret. “Today’s biggest obstacle seems to be the smartphone”, he continues. “Children from the early morning until the late night play the phone! I do not agree with that, but what can I do? They do not want to learn the things they have to learn. When I was a kid, there was no radio, no TV, no phone. Our lifestyle strictly adhered to the Balinese cultural core. My childhood was filled with puppet shows, reading lontars, writing poetry, and practicing our traditional dances.”
Born as a true savant and a distinguished scholar, Pak Mudita still masters the art of writing and speaking no less than five languages, including the old Javanese language or Kawi, among all the different levels of Balinese as well as its ancient script, natively known as Aksara Bali. “I wrote this lontar by myself. It took me two years. It is one of my favorite ones. I even engraved its title in golden letters. The story depicts a young hero facing several twists. I will try to chant a few verses for you now”, he enthusiastically tells me as this photograph is being taken.
Lontars have been used for centuries to document the stories, myths, and teachings of the Balinese people, and although these manuscripts are still preserved today, they are becoming very rare. No more lontars like Pak Mudita’s are now written as it is way too complicated. Pak Mudita also refused to sell his when some men from UNESCO came and proposed to him 400 million Rupiah (about 25.000 USD).
📍Karangasem, Bali 🗓 2023
❏ Fine Art Print
Printed on 210 gsm high-quality matte paper with 10-color digital inkjet technology. Can be matted and/or framed.
Available in the following dimensions:
• 45 x 30 cm | 18 x 12”
• 60 x 40 cm | 24 x 16”
❏ Aluminum Print
Printed on a sleek 3-mm, triple-layered aluminum composite material for a matte, reflection-free result using state-of-the-art printing method. Water-resistant, durable UV read-to-hang print suitable for sheltered, outdoor areas.
Available in the following dimension:
• 60 x 40 cm | 24 x 16”
Collector's Limited Edition of 15 copies worldwide.
Processed in Europe on one of the glossiest and most expensive photographic papers in the world—Fujiflex Crystal Archive.
The Fujiflex Crystal Archive paper is a special chromogenic paper with an ultra-high-gloss surface producing the highest professional photographic substrate currently available in the world. The quality of this paper is incomparable with any other papers on the market today.
This silver halide, true photographic printing material on a polyester base is produced to the highest gallery and competition standards. It is printed through a specialized process using laser exposure technology.
Your photograph is not printed like other papers with ink. It is instead exposed into the silver halide base with lasers and is then chemically processed.
The final result has to be seen to be believed as it leaves mica crystals on the paper that, when properly lit, produce a strikingly three-dimensional luxurious look and an appearance of being lit from behind.
The artist proposes 15 copies each available in the following sizes:
• 90 x 60 cm | 36 x 24”
• 150 x 100 cm | 60 x 40”
Such paper must be mounted on appropriate substrate and/or framed correctly to guarantee the best results.
Replica Edition
• Free shipping worldwide;
• Please allow up to 48 hours before your order is dispatched;
• Delivery time is about two to three working weeks depending on your country;
• Shipped in a sturdy mailing tube for the fine art prints and a protective cardboard box for the aluminum print;
• Fine art prints are sent by the post office from Indonesia while aluminum prints are processed and sent from Europe;
• A confirmation email is sent when the photo is shipped;
• Any custom and duty fees are the responsibility of the customer;
• Replica Edition prints come without white borders;
• Frame not included for the fine art prints
★ Original Edition
• Free shipping worldwide;
• Please allow up to 7 days before your order is dispatched;
• Delivery time is about two working weeks;
• Tracking available;
• Shipped in secure packaging handled by art professionals;
• Sent by UPS, FedEx, or DHL from Europe;
• A confirmation email is sent when the photo is shipped along with a digital Certificate of Authenticity and a handling and framing manual;
• Any custom and duty fees are the responsibility of the customer;
• Original Edition photographs come without white borders;
• Frame not included