Bali Art World Personalities : Meet Ruth Onduko
The 2008 GFC (global financial crisis) spelt disaster for the Bali art world. The Indonesian art market, after a record boom, went to bust with collector’s buying immediately slowing, galleries around the island closed, while others wound down their activities. The woes continued with a decrease in tourism and smaller holiday budgets – luxury items
Genesis Creative Centre: Indonesia’s First ‘Artists Co-Working Space’ Opens in Bali
A brand new take on the ‘co-working’ model now common around the world has just emerged in Bali. Genesis Creative Centre, found in the up-and-coming area of Canggu, elevates the co-working concept and applies this to the creative industries, offering a multi-disciplinary space for those working in the arts. Bali is an island of creatives:
The Royal Politics of Leftover Food in Bali
It would be interesting to make a survey, and hence know for sure, what you readers really know of Balinese cuisine. Excuse my arrogance, but I am pretty sure that many of you, when thinking of Balinese cuisine, have something in mind that did not exist forty years ago. Yes, much of what you find
Boys will be Girls
It’s late at night at the Pura Dalem in Penestanan. The Maestro, AA Gede Bagus Mandera Earawan famous dancer, and choreographer extraordinaire, had invited us to come along and see his troupe of male legong dancers perform their intriguing version of Bali’s most iconic dance. It was a rare treat both for us and for
Emerging Balinese artists tour Netherlands cities as a part of the TiTian Prize
Yayasan TiTian Bali – the TiTian Art Foundation (YTB) – was inaugurated 29 January 2016 at Bentara Budaya Bali Cultural Center, Sukawati. Since its introduction onto the Bali art landscape TiTian, pronounced “titi – an” meaning “stepping-stone” in Balinese, has captured the attention of the Balinese art world with its exceptional program of exhibitions, workshops,
Poo Means Luck Here in Bali
First of all, we highly recommend that you not to read this story while having a meal – especially those with vivid imaginations. It is already common knowledge that the droppings of cows helps to make soil fertile. This is of course the very reason a visit to the Bali countryside has us holding our
Cultural Nights at the Ubud Palace
Puri Saren Ubud, popularly known as the Ubud Palace, is the witness of all changes that has been through by this artistic village, which is perhaps more suitably called a vibrant town now. Situated at the heart of Ubud, the palace is the place for cultural connoisseurs. The beautiful compound that was built in the
Kintamani’s Surprising Chinese Celebrations
Who would have thought that the annual Chinese New Year celebrations, so visible in places like Singapore, Penang and Kuala Lumpur would also include a very colourful festival in Kintamani. While the poster said the celebrations would last all day we arrived in time for the start of a very engaging procession that led from
What does Arjuna’s Path to Enlightenment Have to do With World Peace?
If we want to understand Balinese culture, we have to look deeply into its complex roots. Just as a tree draws its essence from an intricate and dispersed root system, the essence of today’s Balinese culture draws from ancient beliefs in animism and a pantheon of gods and ancestors, and the much later absorption of
The Javanese Mangku of The Natar Sari Temple
The faithful were now all gone, and all that remained was only scattered on the ground, the remains of the offerings: torn coconut leaves and trampled flowers; the air was moist and filled with the scent of burned-out incense mixed with the strong odor of the drying earth. It was all over now and, his
Panji Semirang and the Golden Doll
The Majapahit, between the years 1293 to circa 1500, was once a great empire in South East Asia. It’s centre was in East Java and in fact it was this empire where the idea of ‘Nusantara’, or a great archipelagic nation, was born. The reach of Majapahit stretched as far as Burma, all the way
Gecko the Home God
Gecko may be small, but he had a giant-sized problem; at least according to an interesting Balinese folktale about this lizard. Every night he was awakened by the fireflies outside his window. And when Gecko didn’t get his rest, he got a little grumpy. So he went to Elephant as the head of the village
Refusing to Become a Mangku Priest
Who are the priests in Bali? Most of you have probably seen pictures of high priests, the pedandas, or even seen them on the roads or in temples. They are easily recognisable because they tie their long hair into a knot on top of their heads or wear a tiara while reading mantras. Pedandas are
