The Story
This exquisite pair of earrings was hand crafted in sterling silver and 18K gold in the intricate shape of the mythical Balinese spirit, Barong. He is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and enemy of Rangda, the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders in the mythological traditions of Bali. The battle between Barong and Rangda is featured in Barong dance to represent the eternal battle between good and evil.
These earrings also represent the tradition of Balinese silver smithing expertise. They were master crafted in the village of Celuk which is world renowned for both its silver and gold smithing. Enjoy this special piece of wearable art created by some of the best on the planet at this craft.
- 2.25" L X 1" W
- .925 Sterling Silver, 18K Gold, Garnet
- Handcrafted by master silversmiths is Celuk, Bali, Indonesia
Like most of my curating expeditions, I knew only generally about the artisan talents that I would likely find in this Hindu dominated island. Bali is known for its exceptional silver and gold work, but I didn't know where on the island or if once I had landed I would have the opportunity to find the best that Bali had to provide. Shortly after arriving multiple locals told me I must visit the silver/gold smith town of Celuk to find the heart of the jewelry artisan tradition on the island. Almost all the families have members who are skilled as well as have an artful soul to develop the wearable art accessories famous to this village.
**The additional pics show one of Celuk's master silver smiths working on the details of a piece of jewelry. The women are noted for their detail work and the men for creating the basics of the pattern. The second is of the lovely owner of the workshop where I found this piece. Her name is Ni and she is posing with her husband (who was less enthusiastic about a pic). Ni has around 15 silver smiths that work for her medium sized shop. The final image is of a Balinese sunset in the beach town of Seminyak. I just added this so you start planning your trip there or back there.