Origins

• Balinese art can be dated back to as early as 300 B.C. In the late 1200s, however, individuals of Hindu-Javanese origin in the Majapahit Kingdom of East Java fled to Bali, bringing with them their religious paintings, woodcarvings and stone carvings that became the foundation of Balinese art. Until the 1920s, Balinese artwork was mainly used as a visual narrative of the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Since the 1920s, however, Balinese art has been modernized, and widely emulated around the world.
  
  

Styles

• There are two traditional styles of Balinese art, Kamasan and Wayang. Both styles are typified by two-dimensional drawings on cloth or bark, colored by natural dyes. There are many rules artists follow when shaping figures and ornamentation in their artwork, since the artwork is often showcased for religious purposes. Single works of art often have many contributors, and therefore, most artwork is not credited to any specific artist.
  
  

Recent History

• In the 1930s, the large influx of foreign artists to the island encouraged local artists to create original, secular pieces of artwork. A Russian painter, Walter Spies, and a Dutch artist, Walter Bonnet, settled in the Balinese town of Ubud in the 1930s and became huge influences on the local artists in the area. Bonnet and Spies formed an artist's association, the Pita Maha, which provided guidance to local artists and a forum in which artists could exchange ideas on subject matter, technique and style.
  
  

Galleries and Museums

• There are many art museums and galleries in Bali. The most popular place to go to find good art exhibits and galleries is Ubud, where the Pita Maha began, and where Spies and Bonnet revolutionized Balinese art. Famous museums include the Agung Rai Museum of Art, open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Komaneka Gallery, which features work from local artists, and the Neka Museum, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  
  

Purchasing Pieces

• Many tourists and travelers are excited at the prospect of buying traditional Balinese artwork. Before buying wood carvings, inspect the wood for woodworms, which will eat the work and spread to other woods, including household furniture. Local artists usually price their work quite reasonably, although shipping and handling to another country can be quite expensive.