For our 6th episode of the WLG Podcast, we spoke to artist Dadang Christanto, and writer Dr Jean Couteau on the background and intentions behind Christanto’s Wuku, a series of aluminium and enamel-painted sculptures currently exhibited at Wei-Ling Gallery, Brickfields.
Wuku is a set of 7 days in the 210-day Javanese calendar system, which was organised based on the crop harvest season. The origin of Wuku derives from the mythology of Watugunung, a story that depicts a world of disorder before human consciousness. While Dadang talks about his discovery and fascination towards Wuku symbols, Jean talks about the belief that surrounds it, its prominence in the society, and how Dadang relates it to his personal memory and trauma.
Dr. Jean Couteau. was born in France but has resided in Bali since 1972. He was a cultural columnist for the Bali Post in the 90s and became a well-known writer on Indonesian art, eventually turning into a popular columnist with the national daily, Kompas. Dr Jean has received a doctoral degree for his thesis of art history and iconographic art in Bali. His most recent publication is a book called Myth Magic and Mystery in Bali (2017).
