Birth of an adult 

Nyoman Masriadi's painting presents a tableau rich with symbolism, inviting us to delve into the narratives woven between its figures. Here, the boy holding a snake evokes the ancient serpent motif, a powerful symbol seen across cultures from the tempting serpent in the Garden of Eden to the healing emblem of Asclepius. Note how the artist presents the maternal figure as a robot-like person; she echoes the archetypal mother, yet one rendered in the cold, hard lines of modernity, holding a measuring tape in her hand. This juxtaposition reminds us of the evolving role of motherhood and its shifting meanings across time. The boy's mischievous grin, coupled with the snake, suggests a timeless tale of innocence confronting knowledge. Meanwhile, the robotic mother figure, juxtaposed with the snake, evokes a psychoanalytic tension between nature and nurture, instinct, and control. The cyclical progression of the snake as a symbol— from temptation to wisdom, from chaos to order— mirrors our own perpetual quest for understanding and meaning in an ever-changing world.