DepartmentAsia

"Kayon Siwa" or Gunungan (mountain) also known as Kayon (Tree of Life)

NameWayang Kulit, shadow puppet

Maker Sukasdi (painter)

CultureJavanese

Date2007

Place madeSurakarta, Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

MediumWater buffalo hide, ancur, paint, water buffalo horn, gold leaf

DimensionsOverall: 46 1/16 x 20 11/16 in. (117 x 52.5 cm)

Object numberFA.2007.18.1

Collections

Wayang Kuilt: Indonesian Shadow Puppets

DescriptionShadow puppet, Gunungan. One side shows a standing deity (Siwa or Shiva) with pairs of various animals in a tree of life, the other side is a large blue and red face of barong.

"Kayon Siwa"
Performer, Designer and Artist: Ki Sukasdi
Assistant Artists: Pramono (leather carver) and Makmur (painter)
Place and Date Made: Sukoharjo, 2007

The artist gave this gunungan/ kayon figure the title, "Kayon Siwa," which refers to the Hindu god, Siwa (also known as Bathara Guru). who is depicted on the front side of this wayang figure. The Siwa imagery is considered a special innovation by the artist and is not traditionally found on these puppet forms. To the artist, the Hindu gods are an important part of Javanese culture and Siwa is a high god; he is particularly important. Also featured is a classic, though exceptionally detailed, tree of life. On the back of the piece is the traditional image of mankara, a guardian-protector who gives strength.
This piece was acquired directly from hte artist, who is also trained as a dhalang. He used this gunungan/kayon in only a few of his own performances. This extraordinary artistic creation took Ki Sukasdi five months to make, including help from assistant artists.

The Tree of Life (Kayon) figure is also known as a Cosmic Mountain (Gunungan). The terms Kayon and Gunungan are used interchangeably. These mountain-shaped figures are used in every performance to begin and end the show, as well as for other purposes: to mark scene divisions; to represent the natural elements; natural storms; or extreme emotions. The gunungan/kayon may also represent a palace, home, forest, or other physical locations. Today, many performers choose to utilize several gunungan/kayon at one time to enhance the visual impact that these wayang figures can create.
These are the only wayang figures that are painted differently on each side. The front usually includes a tree of life with animals in its branches and it may portray guardian figures in front of a home, a palace, or a mosque, or it may depict a water motif (such as a pond). The back side of the shadow puppet usually portrays water and wind or fire elements, often with the face of a barong or mankara (a protective guardian figure that provides strength).