Bali exists in a fragile balance between tradition and modernity, between sacred
performance and staged spectacle. S a n g H y a n g D e d a r i reflects this tension—drawing from an
ancient trance ritual where young girls become vessels for divine spirits), yet now, these same
traditions are somehow commodified for the gaze of tourists.
The choice to suspend the work on a Balinese hanger references both the spiritual significance
of traditional art and the way Balinese culture is often reduced to an ""exotic souvenir""
—something
to be admired, collected, but ultimately detached from its sacred origins in the past.
At the bottom of the piece, a farmer toils in the rice fields, echoing the struggle of Balinese
workers who sustain this island while receiving little in return. Above him, the dancer is
upside-down—her form suspended on a bamboo. This inversion speaks to how Balinese
performers, especially traditional dancers, face economic injustice. Many receive wages far
below a livable standard, despite being the cultural backbone of Bali's tourism industry.
Through this work, I question: At what cost does Bali continue to market itself as a paradise?
When do sacred movements become mere entertainment? Must taksu (a unique concept from
Bali, encompassing charisma, spiritual power, and artistic inspiration needed to captivate both
human and divine audiences in their crafts) be sacrificed for survival in a rapidly gentrifying
island?