- memory - balance - vision -

Dear friends,

four month have past since we, - hopefully for the time being - have lost our house in Bona. I have been trying to find the best way to continue. Thank you for your support and help advising me what to do know. Let me try to explain my thoughts:

1. All friends so far agreed to continue, so let's continue.

2. I hope we can with our Indonesian and foreign friends find a way to open the house in Bona again, under the guidance of Pak Sija. Financial concerns and other activities are Pak Sija's responsibility. Now the house is empty. It can be reactivated easily, but due to Balinese mentality it will take some time and effort from our side to talk to Sija. Intercultural problems should be solved after they are detected.

Our friend Toni from Bona, has helped us to store our things in his Hotel in Batu Agung, Negara. Living some time in this area, I found that rarely tourists come here, the people are still very normal in relationship to foreigners. There is a lot of good music, specially by bamboo, which can only be found here.

Further there are two young modern theater and artists groups eager to communicate. I like the landscape, ocean and mountain connected by rice field (30 min drive) and specially the absence of politics connected to tourism and arts.

While in Bali so long, a still growing collection of sculptures by Pak Sawat, a son of Tschokot has developed. It is meanwhile the largest collection of his work in one place. I have about 15 pieces, collected over nine years. They need a safe place and exposure to be seen.

2. From April 7. 93 I rented for one year a house with five big rooms here in the village ($ 250 a year), to exhibit the collection of Pak Sawat, as well a other artists works, like Photos by Reinhard Zabka, local artists and the documentation of the last works in Bona. There is enough place for discussion, reading, art works, eating and beds to sleep. Today I spent my first day here and it feels okay. Not so romantic, but practical.

3. Further I have reserved three beautifully located rice fields to be available to us, with the intention to buy them if we can continue here. (I paid $ 2.000, another $ 4.000 later, or we can give back the fields to Toni, the original owner). These fields can be used for the sculpture garden and other activities.

I have been advised to continue this activity. Now we have to build a relationship with the locals first in order to have partners to exchange thoughts. Artistic help seems available. Some friends have intentions to come, so I will investigate to prepare another 'Moveable Sculpture Garden' with music and performances and discussions for the month of July 1993, based on last years experience.

During this time we could create sculptures reflecting our theme:

'PROGRESS ? - memory - balance - vision -'

and enjoy each others company. I am thinking to ask the villagers here to create sculptures, like last year (Art and Religion) under the aspect of - memory - and create some visual work for - balance and vision - hopefully with friends from abroad.

Further we can witness the local Balinese activities, which reflects Indonesian modern influence due to its location. Maybe, - if enough friends have time and interest, it will be a small festival after all.

For the next, the 3. Workshop - Festival and maybe the last of this series (1994) I am thinking of

'FOCUS ON TIME' - Experience of Change.

Please give me your comments. I myself will leave Bali April 20 for Bangkok and Berlin to work and will back in Bali end of June 93. So please let me know as soon as you can if you want to come. Please inform our friends to send answer back.