Songs of the Rainbow

Achieving acclaim as one of Indonesia's most talented abstract artists, I Made Sumadiyasa's paintings are alll about color and movement.

In his newest series, Songs of the Rainbow, the viewer is delighted by spectral flashes of light and shadow in homage to one of nature's most inspirational phenomenon. The results are scratchy and moody, reminding us that a rainbow is born of dark clouds and rain. While displaying luminous beauty and passion, they are not pretty pictures but also a psychological profile of a young Balinese man seeking to manifest his identity in the confusion of the post-modern world.

There is always a sense of an inner struggle aided by determined surety and an innate Balinese awe of the natural and supernatural worlds.

Hailing from Tabanan, Bali, Sumadiyasa burst with great vigor upon the Indonesian arts scene shortly after graduating from ISI, the prestigious Indonesian Academy of Art in Yogyakarta in 1997, after which he quickly established himself as one of the leaders in a dynamic new generation of abstract artists. He has since participated in numerous national and international solo and group exhibitions including the successful 2005 show Sunrise at Ganesha Gallery.

Ganesha Gallery
Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, (0361) 701-010
www.fourseasons.com/jimbaranbay

Labyrinths

Gaya Art Space presents Labyrinth; an Acts of War project by Hamad Khalaf through March 16.

This series of collaborative installations by Hamad Khalaf (born in Kuwait, 1971) and Iswanto Hartono (born in Purworejo, Central Java, 1972) present the phenomena of war in enigmatic gestures that challenge perceptions and preconceptions. Both have been drawn to the contemporary issue of war through different means and harnessed unique sets of arsenals to wage and engage dialog. Khalaf's signature has been the combination of appropriated objects of war with imagery borrowed from Greek mythology. Within the envelope of constructed narratives and values that hold a society sway, Khalaf perverts violence with decorative beauty to lay bare our fixation on war. Iswanto more straightforwardly depicts war in its global political linkages through spatial arrangements and symbol play.

In their collaboration, they present a spatial juxtaposition of neon lights and objects. Here, the luminous arrangement of neon forms a framework to lead the visitor through an arrangement of objects. An atmosphere of twilight is created with blue throughout an entire room transformed into a labyrinth. In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth is a complex structure of ever-branching and interconnecting tunnels built by King Minos of Crete to entrap the Minotaur. Designed by Daedalus, it was later used to imprison its creator. The Labyritnth is now associated with narrow circular pathways full of traps preventing those inside from reaching their destination.

Labyrinths are associated with journeys (spiritual or subconscious). It's up to the viewers what they make of it.

The Labyrinth created by Khalaf and Iswanto is a metaphor of spatial experience that represents a search for humane cultural values within the culture of war.

Gaya Art Space
Jalan Raya Sayan, Ubud, (0361) 979-253
www.gayafusion.com

Emo-Rock the Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe Bali will be staging one of America's top emo-rock bands, SAOSIN, during its fourth installment of Kuta Madness, a program which features rock bands from around the globe. SAOSIN will rock the stage on Sunday March 9 from 10pm.

Hard Rock Café Bali, Kuta, (0361) 755-661

Hey, What's Cooking?

The culinary competition Bocuse d'Or Asia 2008 selection Indonesia will be held for the first time in Indonesia, through the Salon Culinaire 2008 national selection organized by Bali Culinary Professionals (BCP). Each country will organize a national selection, for Indonesia the competition will be held as part of the Salon Culinaire 2008 in the Food Hotel Tourism Bali through May 1 in Nusa Dua.

For the competition, each team will consist of two professional chefs from a hotel or restaurant and one official coach. The team has to prepare and present one fish main course dish for 14 persons, Western style, within 180 minutes. The dishes must be presented with two appropriate garnishes each.

The winner will go on to represent Indonesia at the first edition of Bocuse d'Or Asia 2008 at Gourmet World Shanghai in Pudong, China on May 29-31. The Salon Culinaire 2008, which is a bi-annual event, will also feature Asian Party Cup national selection and other cooking competitions. The winner of the Asian Pastry Cup National Selection will advance to the Asian Pastry Cup final in Singapore from April 23 - 24.

www.balichefs.com

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