June 9, 1997

Regarding:

Dear friends!

It has been more then a year since my last so unpleasant report and now, summarizing my experience during my ten years in Bali this will be for the moment, the last report concerning our intercultural project.

First,- the one and only positive news: Pak Sija calmed down and is permitting us back to the house in Bona, but he adds that we should not be active. For now the water conditions are too bad and it seems more wise to wait a while, discuss if we should contract his land and see his reaction. As time passes, maybe we can continue, if we all agree. Until this time, for the next two years, we should keep a low profile.

Reflecting and evaluating my long experience here in Bali, I came to the following conclusion: From the very beginning when I started to visit and later to reside in Bali, we attempted to go our own private way, creating a home for us to think, learn, create or reevaluate our work. Ten years now I have been living under the poorest condition on local terms in three small villages (Teges, Bona, Batu Agung) surrounded by farmers who truly have been the most faithful friends and supporters. Our,- better, if you wish,- my attempt to run an ArtHouse, free of organization, governmental or institutional affiliation, refusing business, money exchange, bribes, ten percent deals, kick backs, commissions, and other temptations and practices which are a daily routine in Bali worked against me. By doing so I have been unintentionally disturbing the rule of the game which is designed and directed by governmental organization to secure an overall control in relationship to cultural exchange in art, (traditional and contemporary), to tourism, to import and export, and other intercultural relationships. The carefully balance control system has been disturbed by my presence, by the mere existence of a private individual and his simple idea and intended activities.

I have lost against bureaucracy, governmental control, small minded provincial local heroes, jealousy, greed and expectations which I would never be able to fulfill. I had to learn that the only way to exist in Bali as a active catalyst of cultural exchange is by affiliating and adjusting to the guidelines prepares by the local authorities as there are ASTI, Istibia, P dan K, local headman, or other powerful individuals and groups. The finely exercised control system does not permit free working individuals. The fear of indoctrination, wrong information, opening new thought processes is strong and therefore individual activities can not permitted. I am not able to join in any way any of the above mentioned institution, organization, practices or deals. It would be against my principles of freedom of choice, democracy and creation of spontaneous activities and thoughts...

In Teges where I lived from 84 to 88 my presence, building and living in the house of Pak Longing disturbed the power figure who controls the village art so much, that he pressured with the help of the headman Longings family to request the rooms I had build for his son's children back to accommodate a brother who wanted to move back into the village. He did not appear unto this day. Pak Sija hearing from my attempt to build a house for artist in Pinda 1988 pulled me to Bona and after being contacted by the above mentioned power figure, realizing that there would not be any advantage to have me around discontinued his relationship. Now here in Batu Agung, since 1993 December, before even anything can happen the same person informs the local strongman to be aware of me and my activities. Last week the day of my arrival I have been warned that I am in the process of joining the wrong people. The mere fact that a local theater group who have their clubhouse next door and visit me, borrow material and get inspiration is disturbing the intended control of the local coordinator. In all these places I have been the only foreigner. All this places have not been opened to tourism, are still wildlife. The suspicion that 'this Manuel' is doing something secretly is penetrating the officials mind. As has been reported to me, my biggest mistake was to join the locals and not the officials. I have learned to see the limitation in intercultural work in Bali, which as I can truly say, suffer the most through local bureaucrat and greed. The farmer, musician local artist when still approached purely as an artist is wonderful. It is the heads who are corrupted, and not only here in Bali. What can be done? As a result I have to resign to run the ArtHouse for at least two years to keep my sanity and to be able to find a more successful way do work with the people of Bali, without disturbing the above mentioned power structures. I will keep the mailing address, secure our belongings and keep visiting Bali, with the intention to prepare activity, if we feel we want to be active. (in Negara, Bona, Munduk or maybe Toyabunka) What has been positive about this experience from my point of view? We have created over the past four years a small community of artists who have met each other and started a dialogue. We have opened thoughts to create WorkShopFestivals every other year in different places, after INDONESIA (BONA - April 92), now in THAILAND (BANGKOK - December 95) inviting the same friends, with the hope that we will meet to be creative. Hopefully other of our friends will host us in their country. We have gained many friends in the local community who like to remember us, wishing we would come again. I ask for your forgiveness, that my mentality is so strong headed that I failed against this systems here. My dreams generously supported by all of you have exploded into my face and sure enough there will be no one more unhappy than me. With best regards, many thanks from my heart and the hope you respond or that we meet in Bangkok in Nov/Dec 95. Yours Now, 1997, sitting in New York, hearing the latest news from Bali, I am hopeful that our ArtHouse will be reopening 1999.