Balinese Keris Exhibition in Hollenstedt, Germany

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by David

Perhaps. But unless i'm reading wrong it looks like it has 150 illustrations on 138 pages, so unless the illustrations are particularly small it doesn't seem to leave much room for text.

Hello David,

the book has two parts, the first part is meant as introduction for ethnograhic and cultural interested poeple to introduce them to the world of the keris and it's cultural background, who want to read here new insights should not acquire this book.
But we have here members who could be interested to get a first impression about the Bali keris who will get some useful informations and can have a look to some higher end Bali keris.
And yes, it's a cat. but with some very nice and exquisite Bali keris, which seems to my eyes very worth an exhibition, more as good photographed.
The text part takes the first 61 pages.

Not everyone have the ability to visit museums where he will see only a few keris or have had the good luck to handle and see some good Bali keris so books for a lot of people the only access to see such keris.

Regards,
Detlef

[David]

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hello David,

the book has two parts, the first part is meant as introduction for ethnograhic and cultural interested poeple to introduce them to the world of the keris and it's cultural background, who want to read here new insights should not acquire this book.
But we have here members who could be interested to get a first impression about the Bali keris who will get some useful informations and can have a look to some higher end Bali keris.
And yes, it's a cat. but with some very nice and exquisite Bali keris, which seems to my eyes very worth an exhibition, more as good photographed.
The text part takes the first 61 pages.

Not everyone have the ability to visit museums where he will see only a few keris or have had the good luck to handle and see some good Bali keris so books for a lot of people the only access to see such keris.

Regards,
Detlef

Detlef, i believe you might be addressing your argument in favor of acquiring this catalog to the wrong person. I have never suggested that it was not worth acquiring, only pointing out that according to the specs i read on the book it doesn't seem to leave all that much room for in depth analysis. Actually i personally find quite a bit of usefulness in books of well photographed nice and/or rare keris as i personally do not have quite as much access to view such keris first hand as a few of our members do.

[Sajen]

Hello David,

used only your comment to give a short insight from the content of the catalogue. And yes, you have been correct that there isn't much place for deep analysis but wasn't thought to give it I think.
I only want to report what someone will find when he will order it. When I understand correct, it's available in german and english. The link to the flyer shows pictures from the exhibition rooms.

Regards,
Detlef

[kai]

I was lucky to be able to visit this exhibition on short notice - thanks heaps to Günther Heckmann for opening the doors and showing me around!

IMHO it is a small but really nice exhibition on a topic - keris Bali (including Lombok) - that has not received a lot of international attention lately. If you have access to leading musea (Leiden, Jakarta, etc.) including their non-public research collections, you may not have to see this exhibition; however, I believe most of us will discover a special piece making a trip worthwhile. Moreover, the exhibit is exclusively based on keris from private collections and many pieces won't show up again in the public realm for a long time! For those not able to make it, all pieces are included in the catalog (a few blades not shown though).

Quality of the keris ranges from about average to high end examples, including some really special, exceptional, or possibly unique pieces. A few blades seem to be really old with most being antique and some probably from the first half of the 20th century (at least one is still under research). This is quite a contrast to Pak Suteja's well-known publications featuring a lot of keris karmadikan (for understandable and perfectly legit reasons).

Also the old fittings exhibited are really diverse and show the inclusive nature of Balinese culture as well as its influence on neighbouring areas (Lombok, eastern Java, Madura). Again a very nice selection (vs. comprehensive coverage as this would be impossible to achieve for a small, privately funded foundation with limited exhibition space).

I hope others will be able to make it there and chime in with their impressions, too!

Regards,
Kai

All pics courtesy and copyright of IFICAH 2016

[kai]

BTW, don't forget to also check the nice pics in the flyer available from ificah.org !