Page 49 - BSAM 2016 Q3

Visually distinct from Javanese stones, Sumatra has a rich source of shapes and hard materials that lends itself as world class suiseki.
Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, with over 17,000 islands spread along the equator between the Asian and Australian continents. Heavy rainfall, for up to four- to six-months-a- year, gives way to many lakes and rivers. ere are
countless areas for suiseki hunting, starting from the most populated island of Java, where the most famous sand stones presenting scenic shapes were collected by pioneer suiseki practitioners in the mid ‘80s, to the western provinces, where a rich biodiversity of ecological and geological factors gave way to an enormous source of quality stones. In 1991, with the celebration of the First Asia Paci c Bonsai and Suiseki Exhibition in Bali, which included a large suiseki exhibit with a great number of examples, people were encouraged to search for stones throughout the Indonesian Archipelago. e Bali ASPAC in 1991 was the driving force that provided the incentive needed to enrich the diversity of shapes, surface quality/patina and materials in Indonesian Suiseki Art.
Among the regions which provided a turning point in stone quality, were the stones from Sumatra, an island in the western part of Indonesia known for its gold, coal and tin deposits. Visually distinct from Javanese stones, Sumatra delivered a rich source of shapes and hard materials that lent itself as world class suiseki. In Batang Ombilin, a river fed by water from the Singkarak Lake located in West Sumatra, people
“Gateway to Heaven,”a nice and dynamic stone with an opening. 33 x 23 x 31 cm
A classic shape of a mountain sloping down to a lake on the left. 34 x 21 x 14 cm
“Mt. Merapi” as the shape is similar to Mt. Merapi in West Sumatra. 47 x 26 x 13 cm A long mountain range with uid shape and smooth patina. 50 x 23 x 16 cm
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