I Gede Sukarya

I Gede Sukarya 
(b. 1995, Bali) 

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I Gede Sukarya is an artist from Buleleng, North Bali. He was born and raised in the village of Bulian, where local wisdom, particularly the Bulugeles tradition, plays a central role in daily life. This cultural inheritance has been a formative influence on his artistic identity. As a child of Bulian, the values of his community have shaped not only his character but also his creative outlook from an early age. His interest in art began during elementary school, nurtured through various school-based creative activities. A pivotal moment in his artistic journey came in 2018, when he began to deeply explore tatahan kulit sapi, the traditional art of carved cowhide used in Balinese shadow puppetry (wayang kulit).

Inspired by the visual intricacy and philosophical depth of Balinese wayang kulit, Sukarya transforms the carved leather medium into works that are both aesthetically rich and conceptually layered. His practice expands the possibilities of this traditional form, pushing beyond its conventional function. His works often emerge from personal and communal narratives—stories of family, environment, culture, and local customs—materialized through a variety of sculptural dimensions: carving, weaving, folding, curving, light, and shadow. These layers reflect his ability to stretch the elasticity of the medium and reposition carved cowhide as a relevant form in contemporary art.

Through his works, Sukarya seeks to reinterpret ancestral traditions within today’s context, positioning carved cowhide not merely as a cultural artifact but as a dynamic and living visual language. His approach reveals an artist deeply committed to sustaining traditional practices while simultaneously questioning and renewing them through innovation. His art becomes a bridge between past and present, between inherited forms and future possibilities.