I Gusti Nyoman Lempad
Encyclopedia
I Gusti Nyoman Lempad was known as a Balinese
stone sculptor and architect
(Undagi in Balinese
) who built the palaces and temples in Ubud
and its neighboring villages. In his later years, he produced hundreds of linear drawings of Balinese mythology
and folklore. Lempad of Bali, a short documentary film produced by John Darling and Lorne Blair, tells the story of Lempad at the end of his life and his cremation
ceremony.
Lempad's exact birth date, as many Balinese of his time, is unknown. But he was married when Krakatoa
erupted in 1883. He died on April 25, 1978 at his home in Ubud, Bali. He gathered his family and asked them to bathe him and then died. The Balinese believed that he chose the time of his death at the day that considered most holy.
Although he maintained a close friendship with foreign artists, including Rudolf Bonnet
and Walter Spies
, Lempad never compromised his distinctive identity as a Balinese artist, and one with a broad range of talents in many media; painting
, sculpture and architecture.
Balinese people
The Balinese population of 3.0 million live mostly on the island of Bali, making up 89% of the island's population. There are also significant populations on the island of Lombok, and in the eastern-most regions of Java The Balinese population of 3.0 million (1.5% of Indonesia's population) live...
stone sculptor and architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
(Undagi in Balinese
Balinese language
Balinese or simply Bali is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by 3.3 million people on the Indonesian island of Bali, as well as northern Nusa Penida, western Lombok and eastern Java...
) who built the palaces and temples in Ubud
Ubud
Ubud is a town on the Indonesian island of Bali in Ubud District, located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of the Gianyar regency...
and its neighboring villages. In his later years, he produced hundreds of linear drawings of Balinese mythology
Balinese mythology
Balinese mythology is the traditional mythology of the people of the Indonesian island of Bali, before the majority adoption of Hinduism.Balinese mythology is mainly a kind of animism with some widely-known characters and deities...
and folklore. Lempad of Bali, a short documentary film produced by John Darling and Lorne Blair, tells the story of Lempad at the end of his life and his cremation
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....
ceremony.
Lempad's exact birth date, as many Balinese of his time, is unknown. But he was married when Krakatoa
Krakatoa
Krakatoa is a volcanic island made of a'a lava in the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. The name is used for the island group, the main island , and the volcano as a whole. The island exploded in 1883, killing approximately 40,000 people, although some estimates...
erupted in 1883. He died on April 25, 1978 at his home in Ubud, Bali. He gathered his family and asked them to bathe him and then died. The Balinese believed that he chose the time of his death at the day that considered most holy.
Although he maintained a close friendship with foreign artists, including Rudolf Bonnet
Rudolf Bonnet
Johan Rudolf Bonnet was a Dutch artist who lived much of his life in the town of Ubud on Bali, Indonesia....
and Walter Spies
Walter Spies
Walter Spies was a Russian-born German primitivist painter. In 1923 he came to Java, living first in Yogyakarta and then in Ubud, Bali starting in 1927. He is often credited with attracting the attention of Western cultural figures to Balinese culture and art.In 1937, Spies built what he described...
, Lempad never compromised his distinctive identity as a Balinese artist, and one with a broad range of talents in many media; painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, sculpture and architecture.