The Art of Bali

The museums we visited were fascinating in a way that is very different from museums I’ve seen in other countries. I found it so interesting that the museums themselves were old buildings, but the art wasn’t very old by Western standards. The concept of art being impermanent is so foreign and interesting to me. I feel like Western countries put so much emphasis on preserving old art, and there are museums full of art from centuries ago. However, the art in the museums was not very old comparatively. I love the fact that the art is all about spirituality and stories from Hinduism. It shows yet another way that spirituality is very involved in all aspects of life. I absolutely loved the Antonio Blanco museum. I found his style to be very unique and beautiful. I love mixed media art anyway, and his collages were incredible. There was one collage that had rolled cigarettes on it, and was about losing someone to drugs that I connected personally with. The thing I love about art is that something so simple can mean so much to a person, depending on their life experiences.

It was pretty easy to tell the difference between native art and art made by outsiders. Art made by outsiders was generally focused on the stereotypical topics of the dancers and every day life. The art made by native people was more about spirituality and telling a story. I loved that a lot of it kept with the traditional colors, even though other colors are available now. I wish there was more art from a long time ago to see more native art, but I also love that the art is just for them, and doesn’t need to be kept forever.