BALINESE ART: HISTORY AND PROGRESSION (1900-1960s)

The twentieth century was the bloom of art movements in the Western Countries. The art community was gifted with the emergence of important figures and remarkable artworks that benchmarked the turning points in art history. However, in the spring garden of blossoming flowers, the complementing beauty of grass patches are often overlooked. Many failed to notice the art of the less developed country in the world, as these regions did not get as much coverage and chances to take part in the ‘happening’ in the center of art world then. Nevertheless, it does not mean that the artworks of these people were less prominent. On this occasion, I would like to shed a light on Balinese art and its revolutionary progression in the twentieth century.

Balinese art do not fall under the classification of Western art movements. As much as they do not qualify to fit into any of the style, it is more likely that Balinese art takes on different vision compared to those manifested by Western artists. This is due to the massive disparity in cultural background of the worlds. Furthermore, the original purpose of artwork produce also coined a contribution to native artists’ perception and illustration of aesthetical value.

Regardless to the later peaking popularity, the real beauty of Balinese art can never be fully understood without appreciating its historical and cultural influences. Complexity is a word that can describe Balinese art, as it was and still exhibit meticulous attention to minute details. Furthermore, Balinese art usually showcased odd and whimsical looking creatures along with this bizarre detailing technique. These elements of Balinese art were not only the proof of talent and creativity, but were also part of the narration and cultur...

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... of such influence in connection to the cultural and social context of Bali, thus creating a priceless peculiar originality that is still dynamic and innovative.

Works Cited

Bali Wood Resort. (n.d.). BaliKamasan: The Realm of Balinese Traditional and Classical Artforms. Retrieved May 30, 2014, from http://www.baliwoodresort.com/kamasanexhibition.htm

Belo, J. (1956). Balinese Village Art. Washington DC: Library of Congress.

Covarrubias, M., & Luce, C. B. (2006). Island of Bali. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. (Original work published 1937)

Höhn, K. D. (1997). Reflections of faith: the history of painting in Batuan 1834-1994. Netherlands: Pictures Publishers Art Books.

Mccauley, A. P., & Djelantik, A. A. (1988). Balinese Paintings. The Journal of Asian Studies, 47(4), 934.

Vickers, A. (2011). Balinese art: paintings and drawings of Bali, 1800-2010. Tokyo: Tuttle Pub.