Remembering Covarrubias, a Pioneering Bali Icon
Celebrated during the 20th-century as an icon in the Bali literature and art spheres, the ultra-talented Mexican Miguel Covarrubias’ witnessed and recorded the distinctions of Bali. His creative endeavours distinguished him from other foreigners. As the door to international tourism reopens, it’s significant to honour his extraordinary contributions and remember Bali’s original allure. Covarrubias’ book,
A History of Islam in Bali: A Story of Tolerance
Indonesia is a nation of 273 million people, 88% of whom are registered as Muslim. Bali is the only region of the country where the majority of the population is Hindu – although Balinese Hindus, make up only 1.7% of the Indonesian population. In Bali, 90% of the population is classified as Hindu, but the
Bagus Ari Maruta Elevates Balinese Decorative Painting to Exciting New Heights
Balinese painting has evolved as a sacred narrative form of knowledge transfer within a social context. The Classical pictures merged old indigenous beliefs with introduced religion, forming a codified cultural system to inspire harmony within the community. The images were displayed within the temples and palaces; and never within a family compound for enjoyment. Decorative
Barong Landung: Beyond a Simple Love Story
Listen to this article through the NOW! Bali Podcast: Found in most banjars across Bali, the distinct appearance of the Barong Landung characters are unmistakeable in the assortment of Balinese religious effigies. This conspicuous couple, always found together, are at face-value just symbols of an old Balinese love story. However, digging deeper, this historic husband
Gustra Adnyana: Photography Through the Eyes of a Brahmin
If you are living in Bali, or have often visited the island, you may not know the man, but you are likely to have seen his wonderful photographs of some of the most secret rites and ceremonies of Bali. This photographer’s name is Gustra, or, in its full brahmana name, Ida Bagus Putra Adnyana (64).
Bali’s Sacred Waters – And Its Many Roles Across the Island
From the gurgling mountain spring to the churning sea, water has many parts to play in Bali. It is a revered element incumbent in everyday life, at least for the Balinese Hindu, who are said to even take its form as they move through the cycles of reincarnation. In life and in death, in heaven
Fraksi Epos Exhibition: Indonesia’s Contemporary Art Scene Come Together
Inside the construction site of South Beach, a new expansion to the Discovery Shopping Mall in Kuta, an innovative art exhibition and showcase has manifested within the development. Titled Ruang Baur Seni: Fraksi Epos 2022, this one-of-a-kind art event sees a huge collaboration of Bali’s many creative communities, together displaying a mosaic of Indonesia’s up-and-coming
Photographer Gung Ama Inspires Memories of Pre-colonial Bali
The 21st-century digital revolution propels us into a vast and exciting future. Empowering individuals and communities with an array of creative opportunities, the onslaught of the new, however, consequentially disrupts the old. As the rapidly-evolving digital sphere increasingly casts its spell upon us, once state-of-the-art technologies are being swept aside and forgotten, along with essential
Nyepi, Siwa Ratri, and the Evolution of Balinese Religious Rites
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
‘Neopitamaha: Tradition [in] Translation’ Art Exhibition: A Visual Discussion of Bali’s Socio-Cultural Issues
An excellent art exhibition is currently on display at Titik Dua Ubud, titled ‘Neopitamaha: Tradition [in] Translation’, featuring eleven Indonesian contemporary artists. The exhibition is a significant moment for art on the island as it takes inspiration from the original Pita Maha art group of 1937. This group, guided by both Western and Balinese artists
Tumpek Kandang: The Holy Day for Animals
Tumpek Kandang is a day dedicated to Sang Hyang Rare Angon, the god of all cattle and livestock. On this day, domesticated animals on the island will receive great attention; the cows are washed in the river and dressed-up like human beings, with special cone-shaped spirals made of coconut leaf placed on their horns. The
Melasti: Island-Wide Purification
One of the precursors to Nyepi is the melasti ceremony, also known as ‘melis’. Whilst just as visually extravagant as a piodalan temple ceremony, melasti is of incredible importance to the annual (and sometimes more) rites of the Balinese Hindu. During this ceremony, lines and lines of local Hindus will journey to the sea or
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