Thread: Neka
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Old 3rd April 2008, 09:31 PM   #11
ganjawulung
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Dear Marco and All,

I'm sorry for joining this discussion so late. I'd like to add some informations on Neka Art Museum in Ubud, especially on its permanent exhibition on keris. I had visited this museum too on February and met with Mr Neka, the owner. (Pls see the photo below, Mr Neka hold the marvelous keris of Tantri Singa-Lembu or Lion Fighting Bull from Tantri Fable, 15th century). I had taken these photos with his permission.

This Neka Keris Museum is also a place where you can see good "documentations" of contemporary kerises which were made by contemporary empus and still living Indonesian keris makers. Altogether, there are total 218 kerises -- including 18 old Balinese keris heritages. It exhibits permanently -- not only kerises which were made by Balinese keris maker like Ketut Mudra, or young Madurese keris maker like Moh Basri -- but also kerises which were made by javanese keris makers like the late Empu Djeno from Jogjakarta. Or Solonese keris maker like Subandi Supaningrat, Sukamdi, Suyanto etc.

The Keris Museum in Ubud is only a small part of the greater Neka Art Museum which were built on a hill-site of about 10.000 m2, not far from the Spanish painter's gallery Antonio Blanco. Hundreds of very fine paintings are exhibited in more than 7 galleries. From various traditional Balinese paintings, to foreign paintings like of Arie Smit (Holland) during his staying in Bali.

Neka himself is a real collector, although he has also keris-maker blood. That is why he bears name "Pande" (Pande Wayan Suteja Neka) in front of his name. He said to me, that now he stop collecting new paintings but beginning collecting kerises. The establishment of permanent keris exhibition is also meant for commemorating the 25th aniversary of his gallery, on July 27, 2007, He said, he was inspired to make keris museum after visiting a keris exhibition in Bentara Budaya Jakarta on 1996.

It takes about an hour by (hiring) car from Kuta. And you will see so many art galleries in this Ubud site -- as you know already. Not only Neka Gallery, or Antonio Blanco Gallery. Ubud, is really an interesting place to visit for anybody who loves paintings and also kerises...

(Pictures below, four photos of keris Tantri Singa-Lembu, and then one photo each of 13th century keris pijetan of old Balinese kingdom of Karangasem, keris with 5 luks Singa Barong of Gianyar kingdom, and keris of Puri Agung Karangasem named Ki Baju Rante 17th century...)

GANJAWULUNG (April 3, 2008)
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