The guardian of the valley by Bianca ter Riet

About "The guardian of the valley"

by Bianca ter Riet

About the artwork

On a narrow, winding road winding through the lush landscape of Sidemen, a lone scooter stands still. In the centre of the picture, as if carefully placed by an invisible hand, the vehicle rests with its front wheel facing the valley. No man in sight, no sound of voices, only nature breathing and living around him.

The scooter - simple, perhaps a bit dusty from previous rides - seems in no hurry. As if he has been deliberately left there, to pause and look out over the world stretching before him. Before him, the green heart of Bali opens up: a valley full of rice terraces, palm trees and patches of fog dancing on the morning sky. The sun is still young and casts a soft, golden light over the landscape, making everything seem to glow from within.

On either side of the little road, vegetation grows profusely. Ferns of all shapes and sizes bend over the edge of the tarmac, their leaves finely branched and still damp from the morning dew. A banana tree stretches its broad leaves as if to embrace the scene, while other tropical plants frame the path with their deep green colours. The air is heavy with moisture, filled with the aroma of wet leaves, earth, and the sweet smell of ripe fruit lurking somewhere among the greenery.

The silence is palpable. Only the soft rustle of leaves in the wind, the distant song of birds and the steady hum of insects fill the space - a lively silence, speaking rather than silent.

For a moment, the scooter seems like a silent witness, a sentinel that does not move but watches. It belongs in this landscape, like a forgotten friend of the jungle, resting among the foliage, looking out over a world that does not rush, but breathes. A moment caught in time - simple, serene and deeply rooted in the soul of Bali.