English Painter Bruce Sherratt’s Tropical Surrealism & the Power of the Subconscious Mind
Art, like the universe, is infinite. The perception and the processes of art-making may be as unique as the individual. Art ignites our senses as we interact with our inner and outer worlds. Nature’s power and beauty inform us through art. According to English artist and Ubud resident Bruce Sherratt: “A painting is a living
A Question of Time : The Difference Between Balinese and Westerners
You can listen to this story through the NOW! Bali Podcast: Here is a story of Ni Luh Koncreng, in which the way the Balinese see, feel and interpret time is illustrated. You can guess, of course, it is quite different to how Westerners view the very same aspect. We are in the compound of
‘Colors Of Bali’ – Rediscovering Natural Pigments & Dyes in Balinese Traditional Crafts
Bali is an extraordinary sensory experience. Exciting and dynamic, as well as being tranquil and contemplative. Bali’s visual sphere is rich in colour, texture and form. Colour plays a vital role within the Balinese culture and identity – it is symbolic, while its origins are sacred. The Balinese traditional arts and crafts are derived from
The Relationship Between Bali & Indonesia: How Do They See Each Other?
Journalist Eric Buvelot and socio-ethnologist Jean Couteau have recorded 20 hours of discussion about changes that have happened in Bali since the 70’s. The conversation was structured and segmented according to many different aspects of Balinese life, mostly from a socio-historical perspective, to trace all the overturning in Balinese mores for the last 50 years,
Balinese Artist Wahyu Senayadi Honoured in UOB Indonesian Painting of the Year 2021 Awards
Congratulations goes to Balinese artist Made Wahyu Senayadi, winner of the Bronze Award in the Established Artist Category of the UOB Indonesian Painting of the Year Award 2021. ‘Spirit of Friends’, Senayadi’s painting, was selected from 41 finalists by a jury of art experts and honoured during a virtual ceremony on 30 October 2021 in
Pawintenan: The Sacred Balinese Initiation
The shrill and accelerating jingle of the bell accompanies and almost drowns out the soft muttering of a man’s voice, lotus-sitting, in the small thatched pavilion, high above and alone, his head capped by an extraordinary tiara. This is a high priest performing meweda, a call addressed to the gods of the cardinal points, the
La Salaga: A Bali-Sulawesi Legend Immortalised in the Iconic Balinese Kamasan Painting Style
The La Salaga legend from West Sulawesi is an epic that rivals the fantastic Hindu tales from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. This distinct tale merging a new Islamic religious culture of Sulawesi with the Hindu’s of south Bali is, unfortunately, a lesser-known episode of Indonesian history within the local and national consciousness. An exciting
Know Thyself: Dayu Sartika’s Inner Journey Through Art
Socrates (469–399 B.C.E.), the ancient Greek philosopher, famously declared, “Know thyself”. Carved into stone at the entrance to Apollo’s temple at Delphi, the inscription has encouraged people throughout the ages to engage in a search for self-understanding. Emerging Balinese artist Ida Ayu Komang Sartika Dewi’s creative practice strips away the invisible layers of her being
Tumpek Uduh: A Traditional Balinese Hindu Ceremony Honouring Plants
Hinduism in Bali has numerous religious ceremonies held throughout the year, not only ceremonies and ‘yadnya’ (holy offerings) honouring God but also to holy teachers, mankind, animals and plants. The special ceremony to honour plants is known as Tumpek Uduh, a ritual that falls on Saniscara Kliwon Wariga, a day in which God gave grace
How Balinese Dance Has Changed — and What the Future Holds
Journalist Eric Buvelot and socio-ethnologist Jean Couteau have recorded 20 hours of discussion about changes that have happened in Bali since the 70’s. The conversation was structured and segmented according to many different aspects of Balinese life, mostly from a socio-historical perspective, to trace all the overturning in Balinese mores since 50 years, when modernity
DEVFTO: Indonesia’s First Printmaking Institute Opens in Ubud
A new era in Indonesian printmaking began in September 2021 with the opening of the DEVFTO Printmaking Institute at the Sika Gallery in Ubud. Established by Indonesia’s leading art printmaker Devy Ferdianto with over 30 years of experience, the knowledge of the techniques and materials is highly specific and varied. DEVFTO represents an exciting development
‘Neo Denpasar’: Aditya Parama’s NFT Artwork Describes a Dystopian Bali Future
‘Neo Denpasar’ is an NFT animation artwork describing the Denpasar market in the year 2077. In the futuristic nighttime scenario, the only cultural reference is emerging Balinese digital artist Aditya Parama, ‘Pan Edgy Babi Guling’, a suckling pig warung. Staffed by robots, the warung is patronised by humans with gleaming chrome skin. Drones fly throughout
The Changing Relationship Between the Balinese and their Environment
Journalist Eric Buvelot and socio-ethnologist Jean Couteau have recorded 20 hours of discussion about changes that have happened in Bali since the 70’s. The conversation was structured and segmented according to many different aspects of Balinese life, mostly from a socio-historical perspective, to trace all the overturning in Balinese mores since 50 years, when modernity