FIGURE OF A TIGER BITING ITS CUB
MADE JOJOL (DJODJOL)
polished waru wood, carved in the style of Cokot
33.0 cm length
Donald Friend's Bali, an exhibition arranged inconjunction with the Donald Friend Retrospective, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 9 February – 25 March 1990
Donald Friend's Bali, Art Gallery of New South Wale and The Beagle Press, Sydney,1990, cat. 83, p. 58 (illus.)
Djodjol was born in the mountain village Taro in the north of the Regency of Gianjiar. The name of the village (Taro) means 'sacred tree' in Balinese. Taro has a rich and ancient heritage. There is proof that the village existed before AD 1000. Djodjol was in his mother's womb when his father was killed during political troubles in the early 1950s. The mother and baby were brought up by concerned neighbours and relatives. Djodjol means forever moving from place to place. It was during this period of moving from house to house that he came under the influence of the famous sculptor Cokot, who lived in the neighbouring village of Jati, and that he began to carve wood. Djodjol cameto Donald Friend's attention on one of the Australian artist's trips to the curio-rich village of Taro. Friend became his sponsor and encouraged his artistic development. Djodjol, with his wife and children, now lives near the central Gianjar village of Batubulan.
1. Darling, J., in Donald Friend's Bali, Art Gallery of New South Wales and The Beagle Press, Sydney, 1990, p. 57