Bali with Love , Painting & Photography Exhibition in Goa Gajah Ubud

Bali with Love:

- A. Maiyana - Nyoman Arep - Kadek Agus Astawa - 

- Agung Adi - Suci Arta Yasa - Pande Kadek Arimbawa - 

- Nyoman Arjawa - Wayan Aksara - Made Arya Dwita Dedok - 

- De Sila - Komang Dangin - Edy Ableh - Ediwiratama - 

- Gerry Nugawela - Grace Tjondronimpuno - 

- Gusti Ngurah Wijana - Ketut Jaya - Kadek Juni Dwitalia -

- Kesuma Tirta - Nyoman Lombeng - Mansyur Mas’ud - 

- Nikno Suartana - Ngurah Astawa - Kadek Raharja - 

- Ruslan Wiryadi - Sang Made Budiasa - Putu Sayojana - 

- Wayan Sudiarta - Nyoman Sukarsa - 

- Nyoman Sutarja Pandi - Wayan Suala - Tarina Dewi - 

- Made Teresna - Ketut Widiatmika - Wahyu Sasmito -

November 2nd. - December 2nd. 2026

Goa Gajah, Bedaulu- Gianyar - Bali.

About Gerry Nugawela;

I have been to Bali close to about 50 occasions since 1983. And then it happens. One day you wake up and you are in this place 

where everything feels right. My heart is calm. My soul is lit. My thoughts are positive. My vision is clear. I am at peace ,where I have been, at peace with what I have been through and at peace with where I am headed. I am in Ubud.I was 60 something years old and could easily qualify for a re-

tiree visa. Ubud struck me as the place to be. Ubud is a town in Gianyar which is very picturesque with so many temples and ceremonies, far more than other parts of Bali.Being a retired photographer (and also a Chartered Accountant), I set myself the task of learning deeply their culture, religion, art, music, dance and history. I had to learn their language(s) too 

and found Bahasa Indonesia quite easy.

In fact, I am now (2022) very good in Bahasa Indonesia and during the period of Covid and in the absence of tourists found myself rarely speaking English and generally conversing in Bahasa Indonesia and Basa Bali Alus. I recall about 4 years ago having a dream totally in Bahasa Indonesia but sadly have not managed to dream in anything but English.

I spent a fair bit of time visiting temples, padi fields and the coun-tryside of Gianyar district, photographing and learning. Between 2018 and 2022, I have shot about 35,000 images in and around Gianyar – the people, the temples, the statutes and the streets. 

I wanted to capture life from the eyes of the locals and not that of a tourist. I spoke with the locals initially in Bahasa Indonesia and later in Balinese. I learnt about their elaborate ceremonies, 

religion, but importantly their lives and dreams. I adored their children and their playful and carefree lives. I attended many ceremonies and learnt their meaning and customs. I visited their homes and drank lots of coffee with the people. Being an avid reader, I also read as much as I could about Bali but there was a dearth of books written in English about the island.

The first couple of years was very merry when I was out most nights listening to music and dancing and home at 2 or 3 am in the morning. My head was heavy most mornings, but it was rise and repeat every night. Life was good and I made many friends 

from all over the world. I did however go back to Perth once or twice a year initially until Covid struck.In January 2020, I went back to Australia and returned at the end of the month before Covid struck. Many people were returning to their home countries, and I had to decide to stay or go. That 

decision was taken out of my hands as initially Australia required two-week home quarantine and the friend and my son with whom I frequently stayed with would also have to quarantine if I stayed with them as required by their employer. This meant that they could not go to work for two weeks and I though it unfair to them. My two brothers were also in the same position. Things were taken out of my hands when the Australian govern-

ment then deemed quarantine would have to be at a hotel and the cost for two weeks was AUD$3,000 and I could not leave the country freely without a permit from the Department of Home 

Affairs. My fate was taken out of my hands when Bali airport was shut.

Covid Impact – Hardship Bites

I write in my book (My Story in Bali during Covid) what Bali and Ubud was like during Covid. I have many photos and images of Bali during Covid. As many Balinese were losing work and strug- gling to survive, many groups started offering assistance.I chose to help by buying rice and distributing it at first to a small group of people and although this extended to a larger group, it was still miniscule. Given that the Balinese eat rice three times a day, it is an essential food item. I did not give money although I did later help a couple of people with start up capital to open a small business.

Given my limited resources, I had to raise money to buy rice. Selling my photographs was one avenue of funding. The deal was simple – I sold a 60 by 90-centimetre canvas print for about AUD$190 delivered anywhere in the world. After printing and postage (a real killer cost) I was left with AUD$100 which al-lowed me to buy 100 kilograms of rice. The image I did of Ubud captioned"Ubud post March 2020” was a very popular print 

and I sold loads of this print in addition to my other prints.

Arak Edits

Every evening I would experiment with some of my images while enjoying a couple of drinks of arak which is a brew distilled from tuak, a wine from the palm tree. Just two drinks and I would feel woozy. I would edit images of trees, flowers, and plants in general with vivid colours and post them on my Facebook site. It attracted a bit of attention, and I called them my “arak edits”. I am partial to blues and turquoise but soon added purples, reds, yellows and green. My arak edits proved to be popular.The thought then struck me of printing them on material and sewing sarongs to raise money for rice. My arak edit sarongs proved to be popular. People started using them as wall hangings, bedspreads, curtains, shawls and most used them as sa-

rongs or wrap arounds at the swimming pool or beach. I also had 

images printed on tedungs, which are the traditional Balinese ceremonial umbrellas.

Rice donations.

Over the 30 months of Covid I spent in Bali, I distributed 29 tonnes(29,000 kilograms) of rice to people in my village and close friends like my maid and gardener. This soon extended 

across Bali. I had a chap from Buleleng, a three-hour journey from the west of Bali who would bike it to Ubud, a six hour round trip to come and collect rice. I also had a guy from Nusa 

Lembongan, an island south of Bali, who would catch a ferry to Bali and then bike it to Ubud to collect rice from me. I had some as far away as Kuta and Kerobokan, an hour’s ride from Ubud to collect rice.

Over the last 30 months I have refrained from posting images 

of me donating rice because I neither needed the ego trip and 

more importantly wanted to maintain the self-respect of the people to whom I donated the rice. Instead, I posted images of the rice I had bought for distribution to show people that I was 

actually buying rice for donations from the proceeds of the sale of my images and sarongs.

Once Bali was almost back on its legs, I did the last of my rice donations. Besides, I am going back to Oz to visit my son and grandkids.

It is probably apt that the last sack of rice is for my good mate ,Bakti whom I have known for more than 10 years and who has helped me in so many ways since I have known him.

I shall miss donating rice, all the work I have put in to raise money,buy and collect the rice and sit and chat with all the people I gave rice to and wish to thank everyone who helped me in the 

last 30 months.

It is one of my most satisfying life experiences . I learnt so much of the Balinese culture and their resilience.

"Om Swastyastu"

This exhibition is held in memory of the late Gerry Nugawela a photographer who spent a significant portion of his life on the Island of the Gods and held a deep love for Bali. During the 2020 

COVID-19 pandemic, he played an active role in distributing essential food supplies to the people of Bali.

Through the "Perupa Taksu Bali" community, we are presenting an exhibition of paintings and photography at the "Wantilan" (pavilion) of Pura Goa Gajah, running from November 2nd to December 2nd, 2026.

The works on display—contributed by 35 artists and encompassing a diverse range of styles and movements, including traditional, classical, naturalistic, surrealistic, expressionistic, and naive art—offer a rich tapestry of creative expression and inspiring imagination.As the head of the community, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the presence and participation of all guests including representatives from various institutions, collectors, art enthusiasts, cultural figures, the general public, members of the print and electronic media, as well as the "pregina" (per-

formers/community members) of Goa Gajah. It is through this collective cooperation that the event has been made possible and has proceeded smoothly. I would also like to extend a special thank you to Nyoman Gerry’s sister from Australia Made Geraldine Nugawela and her husband Mr Ramon Kanda.This concludes my remarks and report. May good thoughts come to us from all directions.

“Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om”

Gianyar, October 29, 2026

Chairperson of Exhibition Committee

I Nyoman Arjawa, S.Sn.

bali-inspirasi #storytelling