Keris: Bali’s Mystical Dagger
The widespread tales that a Keris traditional dagger possesses magical powers that allow it to fly or move by itself, even inside a locked cupboard have fascinated many. When making one, the empu (spiritual person who makes Keris) can infuse into the dagger any spiritual qualities and powers the owner desires. Many superstitious Keris owners
Images of Bali fuse with Old Masters paintings to create landmark pictorials
“I approach every magical day here in Bali with gratitude and wonder. Gratitude for having the joyful privilege of living on the gorgeous rice fields north of Ubud,” says Canadian avant-garde filmmaker and photographer Joel Singer who first visited Bali in 1979 and has lived here for the past decade. “I usually awaken with the
The Guardians of Bali’s Culture
Bali has been named one of the world’s top destinations several times now, but along with the tourist influx comes modernisation. Yet, amidst today’s modern Bali, where asphalted roads have taken over a good portion of rice fields, the sound of the traditional Gamelan music still echoes across the island, and the traditional sarong and
The Story of the Origin of Time
Bali is an extraordinary place in which, like in ancient Greece and India, there are still stories that can be read as stories, or as philosophical teaching. One of these stories is the Kala Tatwa, the story of the Lord of Time, Batara Kala. The story below is only a slightly edited version of the
Discovering Contemporary Art in Purpa Art Gallery
Purpa Art Gallery Bali opened its first gallery in Ubud in 1970; it’s one of the oldest galleries in Bali. The owner, I Nyoman Purpa, was one of the most eminent curators and collectors in Indonesia. In 2014, her daughter Ari Purpa opened her own gallery in Seminyak, specialising in modern and contemporary Art by
The Sacred ‘Medal Agung’ Gate
The most famous attraction in Klungkung, Kerta Gosa was built in 1686 inside the complex of the Semarapura palace. Today, Klungkung is mostly known for its Hall of Justice known as Taman Gili Kerta Gosa, a historical site located in the heart of Semarapura, the regency’s capital. Kerta Gosa’s court room is an elevated
An Introduction to Bali’s Intricate Batuan Art
Batuan paintings are remarkably dense with deeply saturated tones. Their images are often dark and sometimes macabre, but they are always carefully made and carefully balanced. The forms in the paintings swirl and intertwine, they repeat each other and expand outwards until they transform into new shapes and new patterns. They create labyrinths of pulsating
Balinese Architecture: A World of Order & Harmony
Balinese villages give an extraordinary impression of order. Houses are all identical and strikingly parallel in layout; with family temples, kitchens and rooms occupying the same relative position in the walled compound. Large temples, likewise, all have the same structure with their main shrines occupying the same kaja kangin (east-mountainward) corner. This Balinese sense of
Genevieve Couteau : The French Virtuoso That Bali Art Historians Failed to Cite
Volumes have been written about the foreign artists who have visited, lived and worked on the island of Bali during the first half of the 20th century. Walter Spies, Rudolf Bonnet and Theo Meier are celebrated icons, while Hofker, Covarrubias and Le Mayeur are all praised for their special talents. These artists, however, are all male.
The Bade Makers: Bali’s Coffin Craftsmen
Tucked away in a back street on the outskirts of Denpasar is a strange and wondrous sight. Every few days this wide, open shed is populated with beautifully wrought animals. Fine looking bulls are the main production although sometimes you might see a pig, a dog or even a lion. They are bade, effigies used
No Baby, No Honey : Bali’s Pregnancy Myth
As a society that still strongly holds traditional practices and culture, the Balinese people see themselves as an infinite entity; one that is powered by ‘regeneration’. This is why having children is a huge deal for Balinese society, for children allow the continuation of a family cycle, which allows the continued function of larger entities
Wayang Wong: The Dance of the Human Puppets
In Bali, tradition is cherished by the local community. Music, dance, carving, painting – all were once considered ways of paying homage to God, to the spirits of ancestors and to Mother Nature. These activities now considered ‘art’ were once holy acts, locally known as ngayah. In the year 1478AD, the fall of the Majapahit
Revealing Chinese and Balinese Cultural Connections Through Art with Tjandra Kirana
One of the most charming characters within the Bali art community is TjandraKirana. Quick with a smile, and always ready to share a light-hearted joke, or a tale, he is gifted with a generous, and effervescent personality. Born in Denpasar in 1944, of Chinese Indonesian heritage, over the past six decades the well-known, self-taught photographer
