Indonesia, Bali - Sculpture By I Nyoman Tjokot

Primitive sculpture by master sculptor I Nyoman Tjokot (1886-1971), major artist of Balinese sculpture. Not signed.

Height: 30 cm, good condition.

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Biography: I Nyoman Tjokot (1886-1971) Born in a village not far from Ubud Bali called Tegalalang. Tjokot, a renowned sculptor in the artistic and cultural circles of Bali and Indonesia, never received formal artistic training and carved his heart out. His wooden sculptures have been described as exotic, demonstrating a powerful and refined style and containing high spiritual values. He has often been described as eccentric or even crazy, living alone on the edge of a cliff far from everyone. He was a workaholic and refused to cut down trees for his carvings, picked up scraps of wood from riversides, or picked up discarded pieces of wood as he passed by. His inspirations would come through meditation and encounters with spiritual beings, receiving inspiration from God; this is why his works are rare, sometimes creating only one piece per year. His magical expressiveness came from ancient Balinese myths of beasts and demons, and he never traced or drew on the wood before carving it. Biased on his imagination and his instinct, he would sculpt his days, adapting to the original form of the medium. Almost ignored in his own country, in the 1960s Tjokot was ranked Maestro abroad, and in 1969 I Nyoman Tjokot received the Wijaya Kusuma award from the Indonesian government. In addition to a certificate and a medal, he also received an award of Rp 100,000. His works belong to local and international museums: Musium Puri Lukisan, Ubud Bali; Denpasar Museum, Bali; Istana Negara Museum, Jakarta; Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde, Leiden; Tropen Museum, Amsterdam; Marlon Brando purchased several pieces during his visit to Bali, there are also privet collectors from the United States, Australia, the Netherlands and Indonesia. Today, 40 years after his death, the world still recognizes Tjokot for his primitive expressionist style.