black beach
the making of ...
The sea is wild and powerful here, so it is much too dangerous for swimming. This place intrigued us because the black vulcanic sand makes the beach very special, and because there are so many objects to be found here of all shapes and sizes.
The locals make offerings to the sea on this beach according to the traditions of their faith, which is a Balinese form of Hinduism.
Since the waves are so strong many of these offerings wash back on the beach.
We started working on a number of still lifes using things that we found in this way and some fabrics we bought on Bali : temporary creations that are open to the elements
They didn’t mind that we were using their offerings, as long as we didn’t remove them from the beach: once something has been given to the sea, you cannot take it away.’
Bali
On Medewi beach near Pekutatan, one of the black vulcanic beaches on Bali, beside the Indian Ocean
It was a very powerful experience: spending the whole day outdoors, constantly hearing and feeling the intensity of the crashing waves. You become aware of the sand and the wind, and find yourself in the zone, simply working on whatever it is you are creating on the beach.
We thought this was absolutely wonderful; at times we were excited like children. It was also really interesting to see how the locals responded to our work.
They were very curious and often came to sit with us; we would exchange glances and nod to one another, but there was very little talking.
