Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LEMPAD
Many of Ubud's most important buildings are associated with the venerable sculptor, archi-
tect and artist I Gusti Nyoman Lempad (c.1862-1978), among them Puri Lukisan, Pura
Taman Saraswati and Ubud Palace. Lempad came to Ubud with his family at the age of 13,
where he found favour in the court of the Sukawatis, for whom he worked for most of his
life. A versatile artist who designed temples, carved stone reliefs, built cremation towers
and produced ink drawings, Lempad was an influential figure and an important member of
the Pita Maha arts association, which he cofounded with his friends Cokorda Gede Agung
Sukawati and Rudolf Bonnet. A traditionalist in certain matters, Lempad would only work
on propitious days and is said to have waited for an auspicious day on which to die; by that
time he was thought to be approximately 116 years old. The best places to see his drawings
are the Neka Art Museum and Museum Puri Lukisan.
Lempad lived on Jalan Raya Ubud, diagonally opposite the market, for more than a cen-
tury in a house that still belongs to his family, and which is open to the public as a show-
room for artists working under the “Puri Lempad” by-line (daily 8am-6pm; free).
Threads of Life Indonesian Textile Arts Center and Gallery
Jl Kajeng 24 • Daily 10am-7pm • Free • 0361 972074, threadsoflife.com
The small Threads of Life Indonesian Textile Arts Center and Gallery is devoted to ex-
quisite hand-woven textiles from across the islands of Indonesia, including Bali, Sumba,
Timor, Java and Sulawesi. Though they were all produced using natural dyes and ancient
methods, the textiles are modern works, commissioned by the Threads of Life foundation in
an attempt to keep Indonesia's historic textile art alive. This is a complex and highly skilled
art, and severely endangered, not least because a single weaving can take two years to com-
plete. The gallery displays superb weavings alongside plenty of information on their origins,
the weavers, the processes involved and the meaning of the most important motifs. The centre
also sells beautiful, if pricey, textiles and runs regular classes on traditional textile appreci-
ation.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search