WAYANG KULIT
on IndoArtNet

Link to our Wayang Golek Rod Puppets.

Wayang Kulit is probably the most famous and imaginative form of Indonesian Wayang. Finely carved and painted thin leather puppets move behind a white linnen screen, such that the audience on the other side of the screen sees the shadows only.

Kulit means leather. Thick and specifically treated Water Buffalo leather is manually cut out, engraved, ciseled with amazing detail and finally hand-painted. Movable limbs are joined with leather bolts and even the handles are made from the long horns of the same Water Buffaloes.

Unlike the many soulless, machine-cut and screen-printed Kulits from low-grade leather to be found on the souvenir market, we atIndoArtNet only sell the best available quality of material and workmanship. We have partnered with Pak Sagio, who is recognized by many as the best contemporary Wayang Kulit maker in Indonesia, if not the world. Pak Sagio counts among his customers many practising Dalangs (puppeteers) and even supplies the Istana Negeri (presidential palace) in Jakarta.

Therefore we can offer, in addition to any character from traditional epics, also custom-made designs (delivery time 4 to 6 weeks, pleaseenquire) as well as rare puppets that are usually only made on demand, such as Gunungan (mountain/fire, a full performance sized Gunungan is 100cm/39" high and costs US$600), Rampogan (army/war scene,US$400) and lanscapes, trees or groups of characters.

In addition, we work with Agni, a young and very talented artist who makes non-traditional and exceptional Kulits with great creativity to customers' specifications. An example are the four puppets of mediaeval characters shown above, which were part of a set made for a pupetteer in Norway for US$120 each.

On IndoArtNet, you can get everything you'll need for an authentic Wayang performance. We have a wide range of puppets, stages, screens, Wayang Orang (dance theatre) costumes and accessories and even the Gamelan instruments for the accompanying music. Please contact us if you have any enquiry.