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A Legong Rhapsody. Spirit of Legong, a Dance Through Time
Definitions
legong dance \ ˈlāˌgäŋ \ plural -s . A delicate and graceful Balinese drama dance performed by two young girls in sumptuous costumes.
rhap·so·dy /ˈrapsədē/. noun. An effusively enthusiastic or ecstatic expression of feeling.” rhapsodies of praise”
A series of works by ManButur Suantara that explores the motion and rhythm of one specific dance. The Legong Dance , ‘Tari Legong Bali’. Bali’s culture is full of beauty. Throughout the island, you will find something visually vibrant. Its rituals and ceremonies are mysterious and attractive, drawing the attention of many visitors from around the world.
Iconisation and its Disadvantages
This is not the first or even the thousandth time the dances of Bali are used as the primary object of art. Images of Balinese dancers are seen often in paintings as well commercial campaigns. All in all, Balinese culture is often popularised through iindustry-focused advertising. Popularity has both advantages and disadvantages.
On the one side, this means the beauty of the culture is attractive to many. On the other, visual popularisation can exhaust and make benign, something that is in truth complex and extraordinary. It is more difficult to see the uniqueness in a subject that we have grown too familiar with. This brings us to the images by ManButur of the Legong in Spirit of Legong. Photographs with no artificiality, or simplicity are part of the artistic integrity.
Origin of Legong
The Legong dance is believed to have originated in the 19th century. Apparently for royal entertainment. Others believe that the dance originally began with the sanghyang dedari. This is a ceremony involving the voluntary possession of two little girls by beneficent spirits. The dance itself is characterised by complex finger movements and footwork. With expressive gestures and dramatic control of facial expressions.
Memories of Legong
ManButur, when asked why he chose the Legong for this series. He explained that the complex movements and dynamic variations of the Legong make it ideal for capturing long exposures. The speed of the dance changes throughout the dance and this impact is significant when you take long exposures.
“My memories of the Legong dance.. growing up I see a lot of paintings of a dancer in costume. I tried to create a photograph of the dance that is like a painting.. but still has the spirit and movement of the dance..”
Nyoman ‘Butur’ Suantara
Capturing Time
With all that in mind, this is a portrait that cannot capture its subject without capturing time. No dance can take form without time. In capturing the spirit of legong, the artist explores a long-exposure approach. Time is a necessary element in any ‘dance’. When you break down a dance or ‘tari’ it is a catalogue of forms connected by movement. The way that it comes together is a physical, living work of art created by the human body. In addition, the Legong Dance is defined as ‘a delicate and beautiful drama dance’.Which carries a narrative as a fundamental element.
Human beings are instinctively drawn to create this form of art across the world. The first ‘dance’ recorded may have been 5000 to 9000 years ago. Throughout our history, we continue to show a human need to create. To express ourselves in many different ways. Through words and images, we tell our stories, we also use our bodies to tell our stories through dance.
Technical Mastery and Beautiful Artistry
ManButur hopes to capture the legong like the age-old paintings seen in his memories. They were paintings of dancers in a static pose. He wished to create photographs like that of the painting but one that captured the spirit of the dance. Without technical acumen supporting imagination, it would not have turned out so beautifully.
The images capture the rhythm, they capture graceful movements, the dramatic and controlled facial expressions. They have an emphasis on key forms suggestive of the varying tempos of the Legong. All in all, rendering the still image with a vital energy, fluid and musical. Revealing glimpses of glittering details amidst a blur of suggestive forms.
Many photographs capture the beauty of Balinese traditional dances. However, this series takes the classic subject unembellished, allowing us to see only, the wonder of the Legong. In a visual dedication aptly described as a legong rhapsody.
Art History Sidenote, Nude Descending Staircase No:2
In 1912 Cubist artist Marcel Duchamp painted ‘Nude Descending a Staircase No:2′. Duchamp artist was breaking away from his cubist style and depicted his subject in motion. This is the first time the concept of continuous motion and the 4th dimension (time) was represented in paintings. Due to this element of motion and time, introduced in this painting by Duchamp, this work was categorised as a Cubo-Futurist. Photography had begun to make its indelible mark in the world of art.
Muybridge and the Study of Motion
Duchamp was influenced greatly by the works of photographers like Eadward Muybridge. Muybridge was one of the earliest pioneers in studying motion. Much of the development into motion pictures was due to his research and studies.
Image: Galloping horse, animated using photos by Muybridge
The study of motion at the turn of the 20th century was pioneering work. It changed the landscape of visual expression. Artists were excited to explore these fascinating revelations in their paintings and a movement known as ‘Futurism‘ was formed. It is over a hundred years since the work of Muybridge in motion capture. Over a hundred years since the 4th dimension was first explored by the ‘Futurists’. And we still explore motion in art and photography, in many different ways.
In Bali a hundred years later, the Legong Dance is captured in a series of photographs. Its study of motion immortalises the elusive spirit of a dance. The works and explorations made by photographers and artists a hundred years ago such as Duchamp and Muybridge echo through these images by ManButur Suantara.
Spirit of Legong Limited Edition Prints
Spirit of Legong fine art prints are available in limited editions of 25. Each print is an archival print, signed by the artist. Comes with a certificate of authenticity issued by Sawidji Gallery.
About Sawidji Studio Art and Photography
“The art in photography is not just about a picture. It is not limited to the technical aspects of photography. It is finding the spirit and feeling that will come through in the image. When you do this, your image can carry a story that resonates powerfully. Here, together we are finding a new driving inspiration to give our fine art photography life. ”
ManButur and Dian