Balinese Art And Museums

 As we mentioned above, Ubud is the cultural and artistic center of Bali. So it's no wonder that some of the best museums in Bali are also clustered here. We strongly recommend that you choose at least one of them and see it.

Neka Art Museum

Neka is the most visited museum in Ubud, which was brought to life by Wayan Suteja Neka's museumization of his personal collection that he has been working on since 1976. He still does this job with great pleasure, guiding you through the museum. You can witness the historical evolution of Balinese art in the museum. In section A, you can see examples of traditional Balinese art, and in section B, examples of Balinese art made with Western techniques such as shading and perspective.

There is also a separate building called Arie Smit Pavilion. Here, the works of Dutch-born Indonesian painter Arie Smit are exhibited. Arie Smit, who moved to Bali in 1960, pioneered an art movement called Young Artists Movement, which adapted the expressionism movement prominent in Contemporary Western Art of the period to traditional Balinese art.

In this movement, subjects such as rural life and village life in Bali are handled with an expressionist approach. In the museum, you can find not only works of art, but also photography exhibitions that will help you understand what Bali was like in the 1930s. Let's underline that the museum is not located in the city center, but in Kedewatan Village. Click for location. Number 6 on the map.

Agung Rai Art Museum (ARMA)

ARMA, where you can find works by artists such as Walter Spies, Rudolf Bonnet and Adrian Le Mayeur, also includes the personal collection of Anak Agung Gde Rai, another art lover collector. All these artists have shaped Balinese art, such as their Balinese contemporaries Nyoman Lempad Raden Saleh and Affandi.

Another feature of Agung Rai is that it serves as a culture and art house. There are dance performances here between 15.00-17.00 on weekdays and between 10.30-12.00 on Sundays. Traditional Balinese crafts workshops such as knitting or fabric dyeing are also held from time to time. This museum is on the Denpasar road, 3 kilometers outside the city center. Click for location. Number 7 on the map.

Blanco Renaissance Museum

Don Antonio Blanco, born in the Philippines, was one of the artists that inspired many of the artists who came and settled in Bali in his time to come and settle here. You can see the works of Blanco and his son, who built a house with Spanish and Balinese influences on a hill overlooking the Campuhan Valley, when you visit that house. However, we have to say beforehand that some of Blanco's work contains pornographic content and therefore may not be suitable for children. Click for location. Number 8 on the map.