Celebrating his 96th birthday, master artisan Nyoman Lentong creates a special edition of the Balinese flute. A dragon twines sinuously along the length, while two geckos try to catch a dragonfly. Known as a suling in Bali, the instrument is carefully crafted. Flutes of this type are used in the Balinese gamelan percussion orchestra, whose importance goes well beyond the pleasure of music and into the realm of ritual ceremony. Lentong shapes the buluh, or bamboo, by hand, using burnt coconut ash to create the motifs. He signs it as Pan Nasib, as he is known in his village. Display stand not included.
