Barong's Imagination of the Drunkard

Born in Jakarta, Heri Dono (1960) studied at the Institut Seni Indonesia but dropped out of school to study wayang kulit (shadow puppet). He uses this traditional art form and adapts it as his contemporary medium of expression in his art. In addition, the influence of this traditional art form can also be seen in Heri'�s installations, performance arts and his paintings. In Balinese mythology, Barong is the king of good spirits and the enemy of Rangda, the demon queen. Here, Heri depicts a creature controlled by a human like figure in its mouth and a fox like creature in its chest. Another character stands on its back, draining the alcoholic drink from its tail. Brightly coloured, these creatures capture one�'s attention against the plain and dream like background.