In my opinion, Asian mythologies all revolve around power struggles and balance.
Stories like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, as well as local Indonesian mythologies, teach us lessons about good and evil and how these extremes keep each other in balance. With the characters in shadow plays and traditional dance performances, Javanese philosophy shows us the conviction that there a “good” element is present in the “bad” character and vice versa.
In this work I look at the world as a compilation of fragile societies that throughout history struggle to maintain a balance in order to avoid war, like wrestlers in the ring. ‘The Fire-Eaters’ attempts to convey physical strength and the irrevocable human desire for fighting, as well as for balance. The emblems are embroideries that I copied from packages of several kinds of local herbal medicines for male potency. The fiberglass legs and bamboo sticks create both the tension and the balance.