Alir Alur: A Sekala 369 Art and Tattoo Showcase

Sekala 369 in collaboration with Masa Masa and Pithecanthropus presents Alir Alur: A Sekala 369 Art and Tattoo Showcase. This exhibition features the artworks by Ade Itameda and Eka Mardiys, ranging from drawings, paintings, prints, and photographs.

This collaborative exhibition began from the shared vision between Sekala 369, Masa Masa, and Pithecanthropus in celebrating and rediscovering Indonesian culture through contemporary visual creations. Sekala 369’s focus on adapting Indonesian patterns and ornaments into tattoos and other visual works mirrors Masa Masa and Pithecanthropus’ visions to present culture in the forms of everyday art, from their iconic Arab-Chinese Peranakan heritage building to their extensive curated collection of batik and traditional arts.

‘Alir’ in Indonesian means to flow. ‘Alur’ in Indonesian means a sequence or a water channel. This exhibition celebrates the diverse styles (‘aliran’ in Indonesian) of Indonesian fabric patterns and ornaments that inspire Sekala 369; mainly Bali, Java, and Peranakan. The styles also refer to tattoo genres where Ade Itameda and Eka Mardiys draw inspiration from, namely Old School, American Traditional, and Japanese. Accordingly, Ade Itameda and Eka Mardiys ‘channel’ those patterns and styles into various mediums such as tattoos on human skin, Kamasan canvas, and paper. Furthermore, these artists respond to these various mediums with appropriate ornamental ‘flows’ that match the contours and characteristics of the surface.

Some of the artworks exhibited were inspired by Pithecanthropus’ batik collection. Prior to the exhibition, Ade Itameda and Eka Mardiys spent two sessions observing various kinds of textiles and translating the visuals into various artworks and tattoo designs. Furthermore, the exhibition also presents Bali Project Volume 01, a collaboration of Ade Itameda and photographer Ifan Ardiansyah. This project is a series of tattoo photographs inspired by Balinese pepatraan (organic floral pattern) and keketusan (repeating floral pattern).

Alir Alur opens at 6 pm on Saturday, 9 November 2024, featuring artist talk by Ade Itameda and Eka Mardiys followed by DJ set performance by Gilang Propagila from Tektonik Records. The exhibition runs until 17 November 2024.
Towards the end of the exhibition, from Friday 15 November to Sunday 17 November Ade Itameda and Eka Mardiys host special flash tattoo sessions, featuring flash designs inspired by the aforementioned Pithecanthropus batik collection. Prior bookings and walk-ins are welcome from 1 pm to 7 pm.

Sekala 369
Sekala 369 is a Bali-based Tattoo and Custom Studio that focuses on Indonesian heritage. We do tattoos, paintings, prints, custom artworks on pretty much anything with designs that are related to Indonesian Culture. The idea is to keep the tradition alive and thriving, despite the acculturation that exists in the modern era.
The name Sekala 369 is derived from “Sekala-Niskala” or “The Seen-The Unseen” in Balinese. Sekala is the visible, perceivable world to the human eyes, or the visual field the studio is working with.
369 refers to the duplication of the karmic cycles; legacies inherited from our ancestors that we develop and pass to the next generation.

Ade Itameda
Ade Itameda fuses Tribal designs with elements of Indonesian ornaments to create his own distinct style.
Through his research, he found that Java does not have a Tattoo culture and history. So to integrate his roots, he takes inspiration from wayang, batik, and temple carvings to introduce Indonesian culture to the tattoo world.

Eka Mardiys
Born and raised in Bali, Eka Mardiys gathers inspiration from his home island, such as traditional Balinese paintings, themes, and subjects.
He integrates those inspirations with American traditional, and Japanese tattoo designs. His works are closely affiliated with the Balinese Rock and Roll scene, as he does illustrations for a local RnR bar alongside other projects.