Painting as a Duty

Kompas/Mohammad Hilmi Faiq

I Ketut Soki

I Ketut Soki is an icon among painters in Penestanan, Ubud, Bali. He would rather let people purchase his paintings at a cheaper price than see them go home empty-handed if they don’t have enough money. He also buys paintings from his neighbors who need money. For him, good relations are far more important than amassing wealth.

That afternoon on Wednesday (16/2/2017), I Ketut Soki slowly sat cross-legged and continued his unfinished sketch. He deftly traced his pencil on a canvas measuring 100x75 square centimeters.