Book Review: ‘Bali - Jungle of Signs’

By Wombat | March 19th, 2006 | 3 Comments »

Donald Neuburger has come up with a novel coffee-table tome. Taking photographs of signs isn’t my idea of compiling the ‘visions’ of Bali, but, it might be interesting. Andrew Charles reviews the book from his base in Bali.

Viewing Bali via ‘cacophony’ of signs
Andrew Charles, Contributor, Canggu, Bali

Bali: Jungle of Signs
Photography by Donald ‘Matto’ Neuburger (DMatto)
Text by Richard Valentine
BIS Publishers, Amsterdam
224 pp.

To quote Adinda Simandjuntak, the Director of Operations of Jakarta-based Aksara bookstore, “This is a fun, playful, passionate and captivating visual book produced by the Swiss photographer, Donald ‘Matto’ Neuburger, depicting the`jungle’ of signage found in the Bali urban landscape.”

Having read Bali: Jungle of Signs several times, I can say this is all very true, and anyone who lives in Bali will relate very closely to the author’s observations. Indeed, we have all seen most of the signs featured in this book, but maybe we haven’t viewed them in quite the same way as he has.

His photography is good and the layout shows a commendable talent in the juxtaposition of the shots.

One might well ask why it is necessary to produce a book about signs, and the answer is probably that it isn’t necessary at all — but it is an entertaining topic and DMatto, as the author is billed on the cover, feels very passionate about them. He describes “A cacophony; a jungle that chatters, howls, shrieks, whispers and throbs”. How could anyone ignore this?

DMatto tells us that Bali overwhelms his senses; his nose, his ears, but most of all his eyes. As a Western artist and graphic designer, it is the signage that sets his senses on fire. At every turn, he is seduced, delighted, intrigued and involved, often challenged and sometimes repelled, but never bored.

Jungle of Signs predominantly comprises pictures of the various signs but there is a textual link between each section, which explains how the author feels about what he has photographed, and his style of writing and fonts is as eclectic as his choice of pictures.

One interesting point mentioned in this book is that tax is payable on signs according to their size, and this is why many businesses have relatively small ones. According to Hendri Sugiantoro, an enthusiastic sign-maker, creativity is immaterial and a sign has only to be different from the one on either side of it.

Big is best, but the only people who can afford to pay the tax on large signs are property developers, whose huge banners can be seen on Jl. By-Pass and the Sunset Road. It is good to know that although these people are destroying Bali’s heritage and landscape progressively, they are, at least, contributing something to the island’s economy.

I found this book very fascinating, but extremely difficult to review in depth because even a review needs to be illustrated. I was sad to see that many of the signs depicted were those of businesses no longer operating — but Bali has gone through many changes in recent years and it will be some time before it is back on track.

Bali: Jungle of Signs is nostalgic and shows a true affection for the island. It is an enjoyable read, but don’t look for cool, clinical abstraction. The author says that what he sees in these signs touches his heart and he feels this is the essence of great design.

I agree, and recommend the book as an adventure into Bali, past and present.

Photographer DMatto used to be a veterinary student, but gave up this career in favor of pursuing what is described as the “magic white space that exists in the everyday things he contemplates”. He is fascinated by the endless possibilities of creativity meeting craftsmanship, whether in photography, art or graphic design.

This is definitely a book worth adding to your library, but beware that the cost of reproducing high-quality photographs can be prohibitive, and perhaps the price of Rp. 350,000 will be a deterrent to some potential purchasers.