The island of Bali is one of the most beautiful islands you can see,
situated under the equator in the Indonesian Archipelago.
Thousands flock to its golden beaches every year
and the island remains THE place for some decadent lounging by the beach.
Since the first decade of the 20th century,
travelers to Bali have come back mesmerized
and have given to it several nicknames,
1)the “Island of Gods”
2)”Island of Thousand Temples”
3)”The Last Paradise” and
4) “Island of Artists.”
There’s a reason why.
The spirit of creativity pervades everything in Balinese life,
from the cultivation of the steeply terraced rice field.
The elaborate temple offerings of flowers
and foods given to the gods at times of celebration.
Dancing, playing the gamelan, painting, and carving,
is as much a part of an ordinary day as working in the offices,
in the fields or feeding livestock.In ancient times,
the people of Bali followed the ways of animism and ancestor worship.
By around A.D. 600, however,
Indian ideas and beliefs began to spread throughout Southeast Asia.
Both Buddhism and Hinduism became active forces
on the islands of Sumatra and Java.
When Islam gained control of Java in the 16th century,
many Hindu princes, their followers, and artisans fled to Bali.
The earliest art of Bali dates from this pre-Hindu era,
including highly decorative works of bronze,
as well as skilled basketworks and weaving.During the Hindu era,
the princes and their relatives were the patronage of the native arts of Bali,
and also sustained by the guiding rituals of its religion.
The palaces and temples,
as political and religious centers of the island, were also centers of the arts.
This convergence of beauty and ritual explains,
why the arts have endured to such a great extent in Bali.
Ritual demanded a continuous renewal of communion,
with the divine through temple celebrations.
The people poured their artistic talents into preparations of these occasions.
New offerings have to be made, new shrines constructed,
new statues of stones and woods have to be carved,
dances, music, and dramas created and practiced.
This kept carvers and masons constantly occupied,
creating new sculptures or retouching older ones.
The Balinese language has no words for “art” and “artist”.
Art was never considered a conscious production for its own sake.
Rather, it was regarded as a collective obligation to make a thing beautiful.
And this was always done with a definite purpose:
to create beauty in service to society and religion.
In the first decade of the 20th century, the Dutch took the island,
and Bali entered a new era as a colony of the Netherlands.
Western education, modern technology, magazines,
and a steady tourist trade opened up a new world for many Balinese,
and this widening of outlook was reflected in the arts.
For the first time,
craftsmen began to treat their work as art for art’s sake,
experimenting in new styles, themes, and media.
With the arrival of Western influence,
the rigid conventions of the traditional style were no longer binding.
Instead of illustrating stories from the great Hindu epics,
some Balinese artists began to depict scenes
of everyday life and nature in their work.
Today, the traditional and modern arts can be viewed at various places:
Museum Bali in Denpasar presents a commendable survey,
of Balinese art from prehistoric times to the early 20th century and modern arts.
Werdi Budaya Arts Center in Denpasar offers exhibitions
and sales of local handicrafts and hand loomed fabrics.
Tohpati for fine batiks.
Celuk for silver and gold works.Mas for excellent woodcarvings.
Ubud is the heart of arts and cultures, home of the most talented painters.
And Klungkung for the traditional paintings and silver works.
