Balinese Imagination | The Evolution Of Balinese Painting Tradition
“LIFE, RELIGION AND ART ALL CONVERGE IN BALI. THEY HAVE NO WORD IN THEIR LANGUAGE FOR 'ARTIST' OR 'ART.' EVERYONE IS AN ARTIST.”
Anais Nin
Wayan Tino-Barong Dance by Walter Spies - nickyskye.blogspot
Bali has been a timeless hub of artistry.
Deriving inspiration from neighbouring Indonesian islands, Balinese creativity has traditionally called upon religion (Hinduism), people, and the island itself to be its muse.
Like the realities of island life today, Bali’s art has been touched by modern techniques and influences. Yet the traditional motifs remain ever present.
Through intricate detail and a simple colour palette, the Balinese way of art never fails to grab anyone's attention.
We look at how the depiction of the Balinese imagination has evolved on canvass.
Read more : Wabi Sabi (侘寂) | Balinese Artists Who See The Beauty In Creativity's Imperfection
Kamasan
The Kamasan style of Balinese painting - the oldest of its kind - was pioneered by the villagers of Kamasan, Klungkung, East Bali.
The paintings would often depict episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabarata epic of Hindu mythologies.
Kerta Gosa - ninetofivekillers
Detailed lines and shadings in natural dyes of red and ochre – unravel stories of victory, peace, wisdom, and times of war.
Although artworks vary subtly, the Kamasan style is prevalent throughout the region, featuring visual narratives in the form of wayang (shadow puppet) figures.
Kerta Gosa - flickr
Kerta Gosa - flickr
While the Kamasan Village refers to a small community of painters, it holds a place of great significance in the history and culture of the kingdom of Klungkung.
These paintings were made fit for the royal court.
Kerta Gosa - ninetofivekillers
Technique aside, due to its religious significance, artists must follow strict guidelines of when to start, what to feature, and how to depict certain episodes.
Kerta Gosa - ninetofivekillers
Till this day, the art form has persisted through change. With time, Kamasan paintings were taken as inspiration, and more contemporary/modern versions came to fruition.
Batuan
With its emergence in the 1920s, the Batuan style is regarded as a fusion of the Kamasan and modern European styles of paintings.
Kebakaran (The Firefighters), 1999 I Wayan Bendi - henryfskerritt
With its emergence in the 1920s, the Batuan style is regarded as a fusion of the Kamasan and modern European styles of paintings.
Paintings in this style teem with action, crammed with intricate details, and pulsating with the chaotic rhythms of village life.
The style focuses on combining traditional and mythological elements with the mundane activities of daily life.
Larasati - thejakartapost
It was at this time, Balinese paintings were characterised by crowded compositions in which part of the surface of the canvas was covered with narrative information and motifs.
I Wayan Bendi - henryfskerritt
One of the leading practitioners of the Batuan style of painting is I Wayan Bendi, known for his political statements and modern witty humour when it comes to painting Bali and what it has become.
Ubud
Ubud has always had an artistic spirit, that was spectacularly honed by the likes of Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonet.
Two Balinese Men, Rudolf Bonnet 1954 - christies
Under the guidance of Dutch painter Rudolf Bonnet, a new style of painting emerged in Bali.
Portrait of a Balinese Girl, Rudolf Bonnet 1953 - mutualart
Dressing Up for the Performance, Rudolf Bonnet 1975 - mutualart
With the focus shifted more towards the people, rather than religion – Bonnet introduced modern drawing techniques alongside the theory of perspective, lights and darks, with a more vivid colour scheme.
Pengosekan (Flora and Fauna)
A signature style developed in Pengosekan during the 1960s featured images of local flora and fauna painted with fresh pastel colours.
The Unlucky Monkey by I Wayan Taweng - pinterest
The people of Pengoseka created a niche, trying to break away from orthodox subject matter. The artists began to look outside cultural conventions for creative inspiration and returned their attention to nature.
Birds of Lod Tunduh, 2010 by Ketut Rudi - pinterest
Heavily inspired by floral Japanese watercolour, the style focussed on depicting birdlife within lush scenarios of forests and jungle.
Others then explored nature through a macro composition, highlighting an array of insects, often grasshoppers or butterflies rendered in great detail and design.
Lempad
ubudnowandthen
Lempad form was instrumental in the development of the Pita Maha artists’ collective that was formed in 1936 by the king of Ubud, Tjokorda Gede Agung Sukawati, and foreign artists Walter Spies and Rudolf Bonnet.
Not only was Lempad responsible for a new style of Balinese art aesthetics, but it also adopted a sense of space into compositions.
I Gusti Nyoman Lempad - balistarisland
Artists would carefully utilise empty areas of white paper that emphasised the elongated and distorted line figures predominant on these drawings.
Balance and composition then became essential.
The Death of Dursasana by I Gusti Nyoman Lempad - pinterest
It was Lempad’s natural imaginative and innovative ability to express old stories anew that revolutionised Balinese art.
Spies
German painter and island legend Walter Spies pioneered his own genre of Balinese traditional modern paintings.
Blick Von Der Hohe - A View from the Heights 1934 - henryfskerritt
It was known as a tropical fantasy in art form.
Die Landschaft und ihre Kinder - The Landscape and its Children - henryfskerritt
With a surrealist approach, Spies took the flora and fauna present in Pengosekan and added elements and techniques used in contemporary European art.
Iseh at Dawn - henryfskerritt
His friend and Mexican Artist Covarrubias would say of Speis:
“He was temperamental when he went into seclusion to paint, he would work incessantly for months on one of his rare canvases.”
“He also painted dreamlike landscapes in which every branch and every leaf is carefully painted, done with the love of a Persian miniaturist, a Cranach, a Breughel or a Douanier Rousseau."
Imagination at its Finest
Wayan Tino - pinterest
Balinese traditional art is the art of storytelling.
Stories from the other side of the canvas – both triumphant and tragic – the events behind the art have enriched the ‘aura’ of Balinese traditional art.
Its ancient narratives bring to life tales from the sacred Hindu and Buddhist texts, old Balinese and Javanese folklore, and accounts of daily life.
Its purpose? To promote harmony within its people.
With time, the art form has managed to stay a crucial part of the island’s history and culture.
Though constantly adapting and evolving, Balinese art has always cherished and stayed true to its original integrity.