A Question of Time : The Difference Between Balinese and Westerners
You can listen to this story through the NOW! Bali Podcast: Here is a story of Ni Luh Koncreng, in which the way the Balinese see, feel and interpret time is illustrated. You can guess, of course, it is quite different to how Westerners view the very same aspect. We are in the compound of
A Brief History of Ubud: Cultural and Spiritual Heart of Bali
Each year, millions of globetrotters descend upon the island of Bali seeking a taste of the tropical paradise, from exploring the riches of its pristine beaches to trekking the majestic landscapes, Bali has no limitations when it comes to the plethora of experiences that visitors can discover. However, Bali is first and foremost known for
From Beyond the Veil: The Art of Made Djirna
Lovers of Balinese art have a unique opportunity to see an exhibition of one of Indonesia’s contemporary masters, Made Djirna. MADE DJIRNA RETROSPECTIVE 1992-2022, opened on 18 December 2023 and continues until 7 January 2024 at ARMA Museum, Ubud. “My concern is to express reflections that go far deeper than what we can know with
A History of Christianity in Bali: A Question of Faith and Culture
Balinese Hinduism is central to the island’s identity. Rites and rituals colour everyday life in Bali, creating a vibrant living culture that captures the imagination of visitors. However, not all Balinese are Hindu: there are communities of Christian, Muslim and Buddhist Balinese, who at face value appear just like their Hindu neighbours but in fact,
Lamak: Sacred Palm-Leaf Decorations
Often overshadowed by the piles of colourful offerings piled on top of them, it can be easy to miss the impressive palm leaf “tapestries” that decorate shrines, altars and even people during auspicious days and ceremonies. These colourful hanging accoutrements are called lamak, and serve as a foundation for offerings to attract deities and revered
Balinese Priestess Artist Mangku Muriati’s Pandemic Observations in the Kamasan Traditional Style
One of 2023s most significant art exhibitions has recently closed. YEAR OF THE TIGER, a presentation of paintings by Balinese priestess Mangku Muriati at BIASA Art, Ubud, in collaboration with V-Room Bali and Honold Fine Art, ran from 3 September – 25 November 2023. Mangku Muriati is an internationally renowned traditional painter of the sacred
The Secret Curse of Kapal: Bali’s Brickless Village
Located in Mengwi, Badung Regency, is the idyllic village of Kapal. Here, unlike the typical Balinese structures using red bricks and teakwood, buildings in Kapal embrace a different aesthetic. There are no signs of the typical Balinese style here, and it’s all connected to the ominous myths surrounding these materials. The prohibition against using red
The Art of Aprililia: Dancing Lines of the Subconscious
Aprililia is an emerging painter from West Sumatra, gifted with a unique talent, who recently began residing in Bali. Born in 2000 in Padang, the self-taught artist significantly contributes to the growing wealth of extraordinary national and international creatives who call the island home. Lily, as she is also known, majored in Informatics Education at
Tipat and Bantal: Symbols of the Feminine and Masculine
Tipat and bantal are two elements that hold profound symbolic meaning within the context of Balinese Hindu beliefs and culture. If you are familiar with the unique ceremonies of Aci Tabuh Rah Pengangon (or Siat Tipat Bantal) and Mejauman (or Mepamit), you will know that these ceremonies all share a common trait: the inclusion of tipat and bantal. These
Ketut Nugi: Reconfiguring Colonial Iconography into Balinese Art Statements
Emerging Balinese contemporary artist Ketut Nugi captured my attention in a group exhibition, ‘Documenting Perspective’ at Nonfrasa Gallery in Ubud that took place July-August 2022. Showcased within a display cabinet, ‘Irrational of Joy’ 2022 is a montage of colourful illustrations and old photographs that transports the imagination to the formative days of Dutch colonialism tourism
The Temple of the Murdered Man
People have misconceptions about Balinese religion. Many see it as strictly Hindu. It may be so in children’s school books, which emphasises classical Hindu-Indian cosmology, but this is a “fundamentalist” evolution. The Balinese may refer once in a while to Hindu gods, but the daily ritual life is dominated by the worship of ancestors of
Leyak: Balinese Sorcery and the Practice of Witchcraft
Perhaps the most feared of all of Bali’s supernatural phenomenons is the leyak (or leak), the ‘witches’ and practitioners of black magic. Ajian Pangleyakan is the study of Balinese sorcery. It is considered an ancient art and study into the realms of Bali’s niskala, or ‘unseen’, world. There is a lontar (palm leaf manuscript) on Aji
Personal Therapy Through Prett Art’s Joyous Clay Figurines
Colourful, light-hearted and cute, I was immediately captured by the art of Venty Vergianti. Her delightful pint-sized clay figurines, distinguished by jubilant emotions and childlike faces with open mouths, either smiling or bursting with laughter while sporting radiantly glazed caps, encapsulate an undeniably scrumptious art recipe. Their rotund bellies are often exaggerated, forming copious receptacles