Balinese Art Patronage Now & Then
Balinese art has a rich and unique history dating back over 400 years. Originally the work of artisans from the East Javanese Majapahit Empire (13-16th Century), this special narrative style of painting expanded into Bali in 1343 when the Majapahit conquered Bali, introducing the Hindu culture, and institutions. A Short History of Balinese Art The Kamasan
More Than Just A Dance: The Welcoming Ritual of Balinese Dances
So much more than just a form of art, traditional dances in Bali are a welcoming ritual, performed to mark the start of religious ceremonies or rituals that take place in the temples, to welcome the deities and ancestors that come down to the earth whenever the ceremonies take place and also to show gratitude
A Pantheon of The Extraordinary: The Colours of Bali’s Ceremony
Bali is a source of endless ceremonies and celebrations, performed across the island. Starting at the end of May until June 9th is Galungan, Bali’s happiest festival when every village dresses up to the nines and gets ready to welcome the gods returning ancestral spirits. It is a celebration of the victory of Dharma over
The Margapati Dance: A King and Death Meet
In Bali, the island’s culture has strong ties to the surrounding natural environment. The religious rituals are delivered as a give back to the ancestors and nature for the entire ceremony and life. The sacred rituals involve beautiful offerings and eye-catching cultural performances. Every art form was born as an offering to the gods and
Budi Agung Kuswara: Art’s Real Values in Perspective
Art plays distinctive and irreplaceable roles within the development of a healthy society. Art offers us opportunities to be inspired, become more educated and aware, as well as to observe the thoughts and feelings of our fellow man. The best contemporary art is essential to our well being, having something important to say about the
Pan Kaler, Balinese Healer
There are in Bali several kinds of traditional healers. The closest to the Western idea of a doctor is the balian usada: his knowledge rests on the control and knowledge of sacred lontar books and on the availability of medicinal herbs he alone knows where to collect and how to concoct. Although the potency of
liina klauss’ 5000 Lost Soles: Turning Ocean Rubbish into Art
Artist liina klauss, together with Potato Head Beach Club Bali, created a visually stunning installation name ‘5000 soles’ from rubbish that washed up on Seminyak Beach. Their goal, raise awareness of ocean plastic pollution through art. One hot, global topic at the moment is ocean plastic pollution; from local organisations right up to the United
The Titian Prize: Recogising Extraordinary Balinese Artistic Talent
The Bali art infrastructure is undergoing important transformation. This renewal is a timely, yet a long and unique process, the intended outcome, however, will be a sustainable art eco system on the island. The benefactors will be new buyers, seasoned collectors, art lovers, the curious, and of course the artists themselves. The Bali art infrastructure
The Janger Dance: From the Rice Field to the Sea
In the creation of art performances, the Balinese have been inspired by everything in their surroundings, including nature, myths and legend. In fact, some daily activities have been brought to the stage in the form of eye catching dance performances. Before the massive growth of tourism in Bali, the Balinese people used to live on
The Melasti of the Full Moon
It looked almost like an Indian Kumbh Mela with the whole of Bali’s southeast coast covered with people dressed in white. Right to the misty distance, penjors and processions could be seen proceeding along the wave drenched coastline. Dressed in their ceremonial best, the Balinese came from villages near and far to pray and be
The Fate of a Piece of Land in Bali
Gung Lingsir, the old prince of Abian Gombal, was now back outside, sitting cross – legged on the verandah of his old pesaren pavilion. He was lost in thoughts. He had had a near call with death, but now, with the fever gone and having lost a few pounds, he could once again run the
Spirits and Gods of the Mountain
One of the main problems when talking about Balinese “religion” is related to the very fact of “defining” it, and beyond, to the fact that by defining it, we frame it in a conceptual framework, we associate to its boundaries that do not exist in the mind of the people involved. The misunderstandings that ensue
Nawanatya Cultural Carnival Begins
On the 3rd of March 2018, situated at the heart of Denpasar, right in front of the governor’s official residence, a cultural art carnival was held as part of a series of activities to mark the opening of Bali MandaraNawanatya 2018, an annual event held in Bali Art Centre in Denpasar on the weekend starting
