Art In Bali

“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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.  […]

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 […]

In the purest sense, the traditional sports in Bali are reflections of the island’s culture, providing a window into the way of life of the Balinese people. These traditional games don’t only promote sportsmanship, but also provide recreational opportunities for the Balinese. From a bull race to mud wrestling and the island-wide kite competitions, these […]

Intrigue and mystery are powerful psychological elements when effectively utilised within a painting. The ability to make subtle suggestions in a composition that inspire curiosity and ignite the observer’s imagination reflects a painter who is in full control of his canvas. Colour and form are the potent visual fundamentals of a painting that we respond […]

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 […]

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: […]

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, […]