HELLO BALI
Summer of Love by Katie Truman
From Bali with Love By Davina Stephens
August 5-25 at Ganesha gallery Four Seasons Resort Bali @ Jimbaran Bay.
Whenever I hear stories from foreign travelers who hung out in Bali back in the 70s, I’m almost envious as they were witnesses to when this island was a markedly different place. One of them is Artist Davina Stephens. How that time was magic she reminisced. Indeed it was and how lucky she is. Unlike other artists who are drawn here later in life, Bali was inherent in New Zealand born stephens. She spent her childhood growing up on and around the beaches of Kuta Leanne stop. We came here to Bali in 1975 when I was seven, Davina reveals. There were no international schools and not many other foreign children. I’d spend my days riding my bicycle, the main form of transport and Balinese children dodging coconut trees, passing grazing cows, and ringing my bicycle belt Around bamboo Groves stop around Sunset adults, and children would all gather on the beach, talking and dancing by kerosene lamps and the moonlight stop that was Kuta Leanne. Davina‘s lifespan led to her residing in India and New York. The Kiwi child who blossomed In Bali became an internationally recognized artist with exhibitions attracting art collectors worldwide. But perhaps bali is where the inspiration and the heart has remained in much of davina‘s life and art Maturing together with her adopted home, which she still frequent. Davina‘s arthas become increasingly complex with an ever evolving style, reflecting the world in the throes of rapid change and her own personal transformation. It also exemplifies how she has succeeded in balancing east and west influences. Early works reveal bright colors and spontaneity, her 1990s images of bali characterized by a pop, art quality, oil and acrylic mediums loaded with opinionated, social and political commentary on Indonesia. In fact, Stephens first belonged to a new generation of artists that shook the perceived stilted image of Bali in the early 1990s; later artworks can be closed as more subdued with irony giving way to spiritualism, infused with sophisticated undercurrent and messages.
Time capsule
All the above culminates in this resident Artist 2011 exhibition, from bali with love. The title is fitting not just nostalgia for you spent here but that observations and recordings of Bali’s changing times and culture have become an underlying constant in her work. Growing up, In Bali, not only part of the sense of belonging, but much more it seems. I was surrounded by the mysterious. My faith was my immediate surroundings, nature, sounds and spirits. I could feel the presence and imagine the form of these magical and mythical characters that the Bolognese talked about, explains davina. This was my power, my imagination and where I found my strength as an individual. I would collect objects from the seashores, coconut fields and other places that I could put my own magic into. Throughout my life this need for collecting and gathering has kept me curious., A toolbox for experimenting and method for understanding the relationship between where I am and who I am. However, this artist concedes there is now a much bigger picture involved literally. It’s no longer about me but about a place, space and time and how humanity fits into this the climate and this change since being invited to exhibit with Ganesha gallery two years ago Davina has been busy creating assemblages with that gathering concept she refers to I decided for this exhibition that it was important to engage the viewer with the place in which they are Bali explains davina. Simultaneously I wanted to create a certain distance by making the bali subject and object portray it as something untouchable stop entering the gallery Should feel like walking to a history museum. You’re obliged to move closer. 
The assembled is on the wall and seeing them as if they are specimens, for they represent time capsules of intricate expressions of moments. Whether the subject is familiar or not, they represent a place and space images in these assemblies are taken from the artist previous paintings created over the last two decades with all their manifold changes retrospective of both bali and her work. Canvases come alive and her art functions like a springboard used by her audiences to leap into a broad spectrum of themes and emotions onto opposing walls. There is a painted narration invoking a sense of classicism of Bolognese painting and mythology, but neither is specific to these works. Are there to imitate a time, explains Davina With love indeed it’s no coincidence. This exhibition is hosted at Ganesha gallery. There appears a mutual bond between the gallery of international standing and artist, an independent fine art gallery located within the grounds of four seasons, resort bali Jimbaran Bay Ganesha gallery evolved in 1995 with specific intent to support Bolognese and Indonesian art and culture. Actually named after the beloved Hindu God, elephant, headed Ganesha God of wisdom and learning and remover of obstacles, the gallery focus is not only to identify and promote talented young or undiscovered Balinese and Indonesian artists, but also to stimulate positive interaction. Space and time and how humanity fits into this bali this climate and this change since being invited to exhibit with Ganesha gallery two years ago davina has been busy creating assemblies with that gathering concept she refers to.
I decided for this exhibition that it was important to engage the viewer with the place in which they are – Bali, explains Davina simultaneously. I wanted to create a certain distance by making Bali the subject an object, portraying it as something untouchable. Entering the gallery should feel like walking into a history museum. You obliged to move closer view the assemblages on the wall, seeing them as if they are specimens, for they represent time capsules of intricate suspensions of moments, whether the subject is familiar or not, they represent a place and space images in these assemblies are taken from the artist previous paintings created over the last two decades with all the manifold changes Retrospectre springboard used by her audience to leap into a broad spectrum of themes and emotions. On two opposing walls, there is a painting narration invoking a sense of plastic-ism of Bailinese painting and mythology but neither is specific. 
These works. Are there to imitate a time, explains Davina – With love indeed it’s no coincidence. This exhibition is hosted at Ganesha gallery. There appears to be a mutual bond between the Gallery of international standing artists and the independent Fine art gallery located within the grounds of The Four Seasons Resort Bali in Jimbaran Bay. Ganesha evolved in 1995 with specific intent to support Balinese and Indonesian art and culture. Named after the beloved Hindu God, elephant, headed Ganesha God of wisdom and learning and remover of obstacles the galleries focus is not only to identify and promote talented young or undiscovered, Balinese and Indonesian artist, but also to stimulate positive interaction with international artist, whose work is in inspired by Indonesia and its art. Perfectly fitting this criterion davina has previously exhibited here three times including this side of paradise 2009 with its homage to the image of day tree River goddess of rice and fertility. I recognize artists in Bali and internationally, davina always comes up with fresh creative ideas enthusiast leo Ricky Ganesh‘s manager. Well, the travelers of the 1920s left these shows with fading photographs and memories. It is davina‘s lifetime love of bali and prolific artwork that capture her and the islands journey through time that it is to be both envied and admired.