Location
Desa Batubulan is only 2 km from the border if east Denpasar city, or 20
km from Kuta, 35 km from Nusa Dua, and 15 km from Sanur. Desa Batubulan
is bordering with famous artist's colonies of Desa Celuk and Desa Singapadu.
Batubulan is belong to the administrative area of Kecamatan Sukawati, Kabupaten
Gianyar. In 1980s Batubulan was only a small villages with some artists
carving the stone to creat sculpture of various shape of god and goddesses,
and today the village has become a small town with bustling business center
of stone carving of various designs and volume, from small stone souvenir
to hall mark or house mark made of cement or concrete. Location of the desa
is very setrategic on the tour program as it is located on the way of main
road that connect central Bali to East Bali, through which the traffic flows
not only for local, but also for the main sightseeing route to east and
north east Bali. The main terminal of east Bali and central Bali is located
on the southern border of Desa Batubulan which is one of the biggest intra-cities
terminal in Bali.
Interest of Desa Batubulan
Today Batubulan is a small town with interest of Stone carving and Dances
such as Barong and Kecak Dance. These two tourism interest are the main
mark of the town which are also the highlight of Bali as tourism destination.
Barong Kris and Kecak Dance
The interest of Desa Batubulan is not only on it's stone carving, but also
the entertainment of Barong and Kris Dance, and Kecak dance. Until 2000
there were 4 regular Barong dance stages in the desa area, which were full
every morning with travelers to watch the dance. Barong dance started on
9.00 Am until 10.30 Am. These dances are presented in a regular schedule
every day. Each stage can accommodate more then 600 people in the form of
Balinese traditional big pavilion called Bale Banjar. the stage is constructed
with seat in steps both at only one side, two sides of even 4 sides so it
forms a low spot in the middle as the stage of the dancers. The artists
and musicians are of an association of artist contracting the place from
the administrator of the desa in the form of small donation, as for both
the Desa organization and and the artist's association they can develope
and bring traditional art to live and keep it popular among local and also
tourists. The core association of the artist also form bigger assocation
which include the whole area of Bali. This association is called ASPRANANTA
meaning the association of performance and dances. They agree to set practice
for certain aspects of the art which regulate their relation with other
association or companies relating to the tarrif, schedule, certification
and others. Dance or performance under the association of ASPRANANTA have
agreed to issue common tarrif decided to be followed by all their member,
that the ticket per person is Rp 50.000 with certain discount to their company
clients.
Stone Carving
Stone carving is actually the main mark of Desa Batubulan since very long
time ago which is around 1970s. The first sculpture, just like wooden carving
use the main obyek were various myth such as the epic of Ramayana, Mahabharata,
and others. Until now actually most of their sculptures are still using
this traditioanal ethnic figures, very few new designs or creation. Only
the enrichement of materials are found to be bearing more type of figures.
At the beginning all stone used were buish in color and later more light
and brighter stone color came to the stage beside the use of cement and
concrete. With the development of hotel construction in Bali the growth
of this stone carving also quiet fast, beside local people also buy the
stone carving for the decoration of temples or public building. Actually
the interest of foreign importer to ship the stone carving has been so big.
The main problem is packaging, since the stone carving is so fragile. This
condition causing the cost of packaging is very expensive, and until now
there is no cheap technology for this. So foreign people only buy this carving
in very small number or special order. It has been very hard to ship in
big volume without a big risk also. With this nature stone carving is not
develop as fast as wood carving. Although the growing use of concrete to
create a scupture which resulting more stronger or resistancy against turbulence,
due to it's excessive weight also can not develope into mass production
due to the expensive cost of shipping. With only small volume of sales,
yet big number of buyers it has been the main trigger of economy for local
people as well as the people of Magelang in central Java. The stone carving
imitating the sculpture of Borobudur or Prambanan was well developed in
Magelang, and as big supplier for Batubulan. From Magelang especially the
head of Budha, or busts or even complete sitting position of Budha are of
most popular stone carving ordered by stone art galleris in Batubulan to
be exhibited together with their Bali production. The material used by the
artists in Magelang is far more stronger then the stone material in Bali
with the color is darker, yet heavier a lot. The sales of both Babubulan
sculpture and Magelang made Budha are all well until the year of 2002, since
then, after Bali bom dramatically decreasing especially the production from
Magelang.
Type of Stone Carving Produced
As mentioned above most of the figures carved in stone are the figures found
in myth, epic of Ramayana, Mahabharata and others. The influence of Budhist
Tantrayana is also very strong, so one can see various sculpture with frightening
faces. From Magelang, Central Java mostly the head of Budha, from small
around 15 cm size to half meter size. It seems that for the artists stone
material is less flexible compared to the material such as wood, so in term
of design it is not develope as fast as sculpture made of wood. Yet the
variation of stone carving is considered has been experincing a great developement
in the choice of materials, not only natural stone, but also created from
cement and concrete.
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