Ubud is Bali’s artisanal hub and woodcarving is one of the finer Balinese crafts traditionally practiced there.
But unfortunately, a lot of the carvings we see today are replicas of old designs and there are very few master woodcarvers left in the small jungle town.
In this original feature, Coconuts TV goes into the studio and shop of I Wayan Mudana, one of the island’s last traditional carvers.
Mudana is dedicated to producing original work and will often even meditate and pray before starting a new project as he seeks inspiration for the story that lives in each unique piece of wood.
It takes him anywhere from four to six months, all the way up to a year to finish a piece. Just look a the beautiful, elaborate designs in his workshop and you’ll see why:
