In Southeast Asia, tigers and humans are usually considered descendants of a common ancestor. According to tradition, the tiger has a “human soul”. The magical powers attributed to the tiger are closely linked to the perception of the rainforest in Javanese culture as a dangerous and mysterious place full of malevolent magic. The jungle is the opposite of civilization. The tiger protects the jungle by scaring people away from it, and in return the jungle provides it with a refuge. If a tiger spends forty days in a cave meditating and fasting, it gains magical powers, kesaktian, which enable it to become invisible in the jungle. According to tradition, if one wants to be safe in the jungle, one must show respect to the tiger by remembering that they are both descendants of Adam and praying. The huge population of Javan tigers was wiped out in the early 20th century by humans through hunting and planting of agricultural crops. For Wrong, the tiger is a representation of the magical power that is omnipresent in nature. It is not just a local legend, but an invisible force that people has ceased to honor and perceive through their constant disruption and disharmony. 2020. PORCELAIN, METAL.
