To top
29 Jun

Indonesia, Bali,Woodcarving in Mas

Mas is a village few kilometers from Ubud, best known for the art of wood carving. On the mainstreet to Ubud, just a workshop after the other range on both sides of the street. Amazing table tops carved from one piece of tree, line up on the street together with finely carved portals and huge statues of all divinities. Looking at these art pieces your only desire is to have at least one as show piece in your garden or living once you come back home. The woods proposed are several and the choice depends on the complexity of the object to be carved and on it’s use. The two ones that did appeal me the most are tamarind and mahogany. The wood from tamarind tree features a deep reddish brown, sometimes with a purplish hue. Though it is hard to work, it is very durable and also resistant to insect attack, making it a good choice for table tops. Mahogany is a fine wood known for its beauty, color and durability. Its reddish-brown color darkens over time, and displays a reddish sheen when polished. It has excellent workability.

As a designer, instinctively I started thinking about creating something from these woods. Me and Francesca came up with some drawings for a series of elements suitable for wood panelling; inspired by artists like Brancusi and Arp, we sketched simple, unadorned and fluent shapes. We chose one of the workshops in Mas and together with the carvers selected the woods for our first prototypes. It took them only a couple of weeks to carve them and the outcome is under your eyes in the photo above. Can you guess the wood we chose?

Mahogany is a fine wood known for its beauty, color and durability. Its reddish-brown color darkens over time, and displays a reddish sheen when polished. It has excellent workability.

admin