Palm leaf wall hanging, 'The Flying Goddess'

The goddess Sri holds a sheaf of rice. Consort of Wisnu, the god of sustenance, she is venerated at shrines set up in rice fields throughout Bali. Sri is often depicted flying, representing her blessings on crops all over the island. Nengah Dika depicts the goddess on a lontar (palm leaf) wall hanging. In the past, when there was no paper available, the Balinese wrote and drew on palm leaves. This ancient tradition finds beautiful expression in Dika's art as he chisels the images with a special knife; bamboo above and below the lontar provide body.