Topeng

‘Topeng’ in the Bhasa language translates as “mask”, refers to a type of handmade mask used traditional cultural performances and rituals in Indonesia.  These masks stand as works of art on their own, but are also deeply embedded in the Indonesian cultural traditions of storytelling, dance and religious ceremony.  

Masks are fashioned from a variety of locally available materials – wood, leather, paper maché, and often intricately decorated in vibrant colours, patterns and embellished with beads, feathers and hair.  They are a vibrant reflection of the diversity of the people, flora and fauna spread across the thousands of islands that form the Indonesian archipelago. 

My first encounter with this tradition came during a welcome ceremony provided to our research team while supporting a scientific expedition in the eastern part of the country.  Hospitality is fundamental to the Indonesian way of life, with its vibrance and warmness, a perfect personification for their diversity and spirit. 

Over the next decade, I travelled further across the country and acquired or was gifted a number of topeng from various regions.  Each reflects the particulars of the people in each region – Borneo, Java, Sulawesi, Bali.  The craftsmanship and care afforded to the materials are evident in each unique design, a reflection of the particular artist or family who may have specialized going generations back.  In all cases, a friendly encounter always ensued, a wonderful reflection of the people, their kindness and willingness to share their traditions with outsiders. 

This series is a collection of photographs taken in studio and printed using antique 19th century photographic techniques.   I experimented with coating glass plates with silver gelatin emulsions by hand, and along with traditional film, exposing them in the same fashion as the early photographers would have, using large format film cameras and working in my darkroom.   The final prints are hand coated platinum/palladium, a reflection of permanence and a homage to the passion each Indonesian artist infuses in their work.