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Alit

Alit was born in Mas Gianyar, a village in central Bali renowned for its wood carving legacy. Alit's family has been dedicated to carving for generations, so they were eager to see him follow in the family tradition. Alit recalls that on his fifth birthday, his father gave him a drawing kit as a present to foster his artistic vein.

"That's when I became aware of my passion for art. I started drawing, painting and I loved it!" he says. "I especially enjoyed representing Balinese scenery like the rice fields. Modesty aside, I was quite good considering my young age.

"One day a journalist came to interview my father, who was renowned as a master carver. He saw one of my drawings and liked it so much, that he took it and used it as the back cover for an Indonesian children's magazine.

"My father passed-on to me his wood carving knowledge and expertise. I started by helping him in the workshop, assisting him when he was carving sculptures. He always taught me to make a sketch first, and then select the wood before starting to carve. Now, I enjoy woodcarving as much as I do painting.

"When I grew up, one of my jobs was working in an art gallery and on my free time, I designed and carved pieces that were different from those you could find elsewhere. I gradually developed my first collection, which was inspired by classic Indonesian motifs, yet they carried my own touch. Other collections have followed since, for example one that is inspired by Balinese nature, and my latest collection is called Belang. This one is based on old cloth motifs called mega mendung, meaning 'cloudy sky'. I'm already planning my next collection, which will be inspired by the leaves and fish of my island.

"I love Bali, and our ways of life. We respect each other and we try to maximize the good and minimize the bad. That is why I strive to keep alive this Balinese art form. I want to be in the present while preparing and planning for the future, without forgetting the past," concludes Alit with a smile.