Bali Style. Kebath Time.
August 2006.

The stirring abstract creation of Balinese artist Made K. Bendesa grace the walls of some of the island’s most impressive villa and hotel properties…here’s way.

Text bay Adam Fenton photography by Adjimedia and Adam Fenton

HIS PAINTINGS HANG IN SOME OF THE MOST HOLLOWED DESIGS SPACES IN BALI – The Presidential suite of the recently revamped Grand Hyatt Bali for example-as well as the sleekest, Yakkiest Villa properties like the Ahimsa, Villa Danoya and Serene. His paintings have sold at both domestic and international exclusive exhibitions for up to Rp125 million <about US$12,500> a canvas. He is the proprietor of a chic Seminyak art gallery, Kebath Studio, featuring his own Work. but it hasn’t always been like that for Balinese artist Made K. Bendesa. Made’s success, like all great success stories, came after years of toil; Working terrible jobs, with terrible pay. His is the prototypal story of the struggling artist, and Bali Style recently met up with Made at Seminyak’s Warung Batavia, to get the details of his life, his loves and his art.

Bali Style: Can you tell us the story of how you became a painter?
Made Bendesa: I was born and raised in Singaraja on Bali’s north coast. When I finished high school I went to work as a pest exterminator for one of the big hotels in Kuta. I was very naïve at the time, straight out of the desa and it was all a great learning experience for me. I didn’t last very long at that job. I was using poisons to exterminate rats and cockroaches and other pests. I felt like it was affecting my health so I left after a while and went to work in a furniture factory. I would send pieces of furniture all day, and sometimes all night. Several time I worked 24 hours straight without sleeping Again, I was working with toxic varnishes and chemicals, working six-day. One day I just collapsed in the factory and work up in Gianyar Hospital.

I thing that was when I decided I needed a career change. I was lucky enough to get a job with an Australian Women who had just set up a company doing decorations for events and functions. We did the decorations for some fantastic weddings; we even did opening of the Ritz Carlton, and one very memorable New Year’s party at doubleSix where we stocked hundreds of balloons in a net above the dance floor which were released right on midnight. In those day I was still very green and the glitzy world of nightclubs and dance parties was all new to me. That experience taught me about aesthetic presentation and design, but unfortunately, the company went bust. My boss helped me find a job as waiter at Zanzibar, a café on blue ocean road. That was my first experience with direct customer service. My English was still so basic, and I made so many embarrassing mistakes. The customer would order a salad and I’d mishear them and bring out a spaghetti!-that kind of thing .but I learnt quickly.

One day I was walking on the beach after work, and I met an American guy who told me he was setting up an art gallery in Bali. We struck up a friendship and I ended up helping him to find a location for his gallery. The location I chose was on a quiet street in the north of what was than a very sleepy part of Seminyak, known as jalan Oberoi. this was back in1998 but I had a feeling that part of town would get busier and thought it would be a good place to have a café /gallery. I made a significant payment for the lease of the property-but the guy changed his mind saying that Seminyak was to quiet, and that he was going to open his gallery in Ubud. the location I chose, is where Trattoria now stands, which is one of the busiest restaurants on one of the busiest streets in Bali. The guy’s gallery in Ubud went bankrupt not long after he opened it. It was around 1999 when I started painting. I’d left Zanzibar and gone to work for Australian designer and architect called Dean Kempnich. He was the one who encouraged me to paint, as he saw that I had a good eye for aesthetics. He bought me brushes and paint and canvas and gave me some initial ideas and than let me loose. And that how I got started.

Bali Style: That quite a story .Can you describe your style of your painting?
Made Bendesa: Abstract. my style is continually evolving. I paint what I feel. I use vibrant colors and bold contrasts my paintings are popular with interior designers, if a designer needs art work to fit within a design scheme, I can do that. But it is completely my style and I retain artistic control. I get my inspiration from many different places. some of my pieces look like abstract sunsets, others are inspired by the sea. The city, people, sea-weed, many thing.

Bali Style: Tell us about your gallery?
Made Bendesa: I opened the gallery in 2002.I got to open a shop in jalan Oberoi after all, but it was a bit busier than in 1998.we have just renovated the space, which double ruko shopfront, at the top of Jalan Oberoi, on the corner just before the road bends around where Jl. Drupadi branches off. Because there are so many copy artists in Bali, we supply a letter of authenticity with all artworks sold.

Bali Style: Do you have any exhibition coming up?
Made Bendesa: I will have exhibition in manila and Bangkok this year. So I’m working hard to get enough pieces for those. In the past I’ve exhibited in kemang Jakarta, the Ganesa Galley at Four Seasons Jimbaran, I’ve also had exhibitions in Europe; in London at the Kudata Gallery; and Denmark.

Bali Style: what’s your favorite thing a bout Balinese art?
Made Bandesa: I love the intricate detail of traditional Balinese painting.