Balinese Art and Technology: Commerce

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Balinese Painting and Technology: Commerce

Although art has been created for its own sake throughout history, Commerce has always played an important part in sustaining growth. In traditional Balinese painting, where the use was ceremonial or religious, the art-form was in steep decline before the introduction of the Pita Maha Artists Cooperative and its development of alternative markets. The Pita Maha's influence on the content of Balinese painting also made the output more marketable due, in part, to it's simpler topics. Traditional Ramadan paintings told a story that most westerners would not be able to decipher, but scenes of everyday life in Bali were more easily identified, and appreciated for their simplicity.

In 1998, the more widespread availability of computers, television and print media have the ability to further effect commerce of Balinese Painting. Several galleries, two museums, and a number of individual artists have developed internet web sites to promote their available paintings or introduce themselves to the world.

I asked Nyoman and Christina Sumertha, and Agung Rai, well-known gallery owners, about their use of the internet in selling their works. "We use e-mail and fax to communicate with our customers, and we created a web site a few months ago to showcase our work," explained Christine, "the electronic mail certainly speeds our comunication, but we have yet to see any inquiries from our web site. I think at this point, having a web site is more of a status symbol than an actual way of generating business." Agung Rai, collector and museum founder agrees, "The increased use of computers here benefits commerce, and helps to increase awareness of Balinese artists as well. It is also good for tourism, which effects commerce. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, computers and the internet can help with art education."

It is an easy case to make that the internet can be used to increase commerce surrounding the artistic community in Bali. But increased commerce brings increased interest, and more outside influence exerted on the artistic output of the area. Commerce, although artistically a relatively minor influence, can create a change of perspective in the artists' themselves.

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