KIM-KASIH INSPIRASI MANDIRI (UBUD) (October 2018)
The story behind:
After two months in Indonesia, and most of the time in Bali, soon it was my time time to leave. Other countries and tons of experiences awaited me, butI didn’t wanted to take off without paiting a little mountain in the wonderful restaurant 9angels, the place where I spent most of my time in Ubud, where I met amazing and loving friends, and where I spent long hours of writing, music and laughter.
And since life is in charge of doing its own thing, one of my friends suggested me to talk to Renata. I had seen her before, we had crossed a few words... I wasn’t sure if she was one of the owners, maybe not. The beauty of 9A is that there is a community in which everything is about trust and respect, where it is not necessary to put names or labels.
I approached her, and she looked at me with a strange face, like, “what are you talking about?”. I tried to explain my intentions, and as soon as I finished explaining myself, she opened her intense blue eyes and said "Can you paint? I need a graffiti artist for the new school!"
Long story short, she told me that on the next day they inaugurated the new facilities of KIM foundation, a school for people with physical and mental disabilities in Ubud, after 10 years working with the local community, giving space to those who do not have it, empowering women, opening doors where there used to be walls.
I got there, and everything made sense. I got to know those who attend at the school, and to who help at KIM. I smiled at the universe, thinking to myself: "you, again making your own story”
The mural is about 7 mountains (gunung), 7 colors of the rainbow (pelangi) and 7 stars. In the center is Mount Agung, one of the most important in Bali. I could talk hours of meanings, but I think an honest way to convey it is:
Bali blew my head, opened my heart -and the colors exploded-