Balinese Painting and Technology:
New influences, traditional inspiration

History Overview - Painting's influences and development in Bali
Perspective Interviews - Do computers change culture and art?
Technology Discussion - Materials effect artistic vision
Commerce New markets - Entrepreneurs Agung and Sumertha online

copyright 1998, James Waldron Design, all rights reserved


Starting in the 1930's and continuing through to the late fifties, Balinese painting changed profoundly in technique and content due largely to the influx of foriegn artists, new painting technologies, and improved commercial activity. Expatriate artists like Russian painter Walter Spies, and Dutch artists Rudolf Bonnet and Arie Smit brought new perspectives from the West, introduced them to the local artistic community, and in-turn used their own perspectives to document and create from traditional Balinese culture. Technological advances, such as oil paints, goache, canvas and brushes allowed local artists increased versatility in expressing their vision, dramatically changing it's content. The increased artistic activiity also developed a new market for selling paintings, changed from traditional religious application to the beginning of private collection.

In 1998 new computing technologies have the potential to bring another wave of technological change to Ubud's artistic community. Might computer tools and access to the world's information and influence through the internet be the kind of change that could spark another resurgence in Balinese painting? Or is the added technology and western influence set to destroy the culture and lifestyle that has made Balinese painting so expressive and identifiable for the past fifty years? For insight on this question I interviewed some of the artists that have been here since the 1940's, curators at local museums, and gallery owners.


Contents
History Source: The Development of Painting in Bali, Sujeta Neka
Perspective Interviews with artists and collectors
Technology Its historical and current impact
Commerce Art Entrepreneurs online
Influential Western Artists Their work and bios
Indonesian Artists Their work and bios
Credits Sources of images and research

© (1998) James Waldron Design -- Waldron@interport.net