The Beauty of Balinese Arts & Crafts

Balinese art is an art of Hindu-Javanese origin that grew from the work of artisans of the Majapahit Kingdom, with their expansion to Bali in the late 14th-century. From the sixteenth until the twentieth centuries, the village of Kamasan, and Klungkung in East Bali, was the centre of classical Balinese art. During the first part of the twentieth century, new varieties of Balinese art developed, and since the late twentieth century, Ubud and its neighbouring villages have established a reputation as the centre of Balinese art.

Balinese arts and crafts are deeply rooted in tradition, with skills, techniques, and artistic secrets passed down through generations, often from parent to child. These crafts are not merely decorative, but are considered living traditions that reflect a, spiritual, and cultural lineage, with artistic expertise is often concentrated in specific villages, where entire communities have developed unique skills over centuries. In 2009, UNESCO recognized Indonesian batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. 

Exploring the arts and crafts produced by entire villages of Balinese craftsmen in Tohpati, Celuk, Los Tunduh and Kemenuh, we drove first to a batik factory in Tohpati Village, which is the centre of batik production in Bali known for its traditional batik collection. A unique textile art form that involves applying wax and dye to create intricate patterns on fabric, we were introduced to the ladies creating the batik designs, then given an opportunity to purchase some of their unique handmade creations. One of the most striking features of Bali is the rich variety of cloth and material that can be found in many shops on the island. Many of the batik and sarongs are mainly imported from Java, and much of the woven clothing or 'irate' is imported from the islands of Sumba and Flores, whereas the beautiful 'songket' fabric worn by Balinese dancers are prime examples of the luxurious, handwoven textile with intricate gold or silver threads that are also made at Phalam Batik.

The production of high quality gold and silver jewellery is found in Celuk, which was our second stop, and were we able to observe the jewellery making process and browse the filigree products. The third stop was a painting workshop in Los Tunduh Village, noted for its painters. Traditional Balinese painting is essentially limited to three types. Most were narratives of mythological themes illustrating the stories from Hindu epics and literature. Under the influence of western painters, who settled in Bali in the 1930s, Balinese artist started painting single scenes instead of narrative tales, using images of everyday life a their theme.

The final destination was the woodcarving workshop of Kemenuh Village. Balinese woodcarving was tradtionally featured largely in temple and palace architecture. It included intricately carved demons and mythical beings that adorned pillars, door panels and window shutters to protect buildings from evil, and we were given an opportunity to observe these craftsmen turn slabs of wood into intricate designs. We purchased a fabulous Balinese mahogany mask of Hanuman, the primary monkey hero, divine devotee of Lord Rama, and central character in the Hindu epic Ramayana.

Arriving at Phalam Batik in the village of Tohpati

Designs are first pencil drawn onto cloth

Some of the original carved stone designs used for creating some batik

with an 'offering' of flowers to the Gods

Warm wax is then applied to both sides of the pencil drawn designs

A small spouted tool is used to draw hot, molten wax onto cotton or silk fabric

One of the ladies immerses one batik design into red dye

The fabric is dipped into a dye bath, but the waxed areas remain the original coloor.

The wax acts as a barrier, defining patterns by preventing dye from reaching specific areas

The wet batik are hung to dry

Some batik are handpainted

Using a brush, greater finesse can be added to the batik

The lovely weaver with a beautiful smile at the Batik factory in Tohpati

Sample of the weaving created on the loom

Snazzy batik created by the artisans at Phalam

Array of fabrics for sale in the shop

Batik Cotton and silk made into dresses, sarong, shirts, tableclothes, napkins and more

Batik Sarong with Buketan Motif

Jovial statue with paint brush and inks at entrance of Semar Kuning painting workshop 

in Bali's Los Tunduh Village 

Painter using pencil to create an intricately designed landscape on canvas

Another painter creating the foundation for a painting at the Semar Kuning painting workshop

Carved stone staircase with moss covered fanciful creature

Closeup of the Balinese creature

'Pompom' tree beside offering temple at Los Tunduh Village

Beautiful wile purple orchid hanging in the garden courtyard

Vibrant Bird of Paradise

Elegant entrance to Sari Dewi Gold and Silver Collection in the village of in Celuk

Artisan using blowtorch to fuse silver for jewelry ornamentation

Lady making silver earrings

Ganesh with floral offering at entrance to Sari Dewi 

Breathtaking ancient Balinese gate on the Sari Dewi property

Hindu goddess with gesture of blessing

Moss covered carved stone lanterns

Jovial laughing carved sprite 

Woodcarver at Yana

Carving the fine-grained wood of the crocodile tree 

The woodcarvers use their feet to stabilize the carving on which they are working 

Balinese Mahogany carving of a Balinese dancer performing the intricate Legong dance

with a fluttering fan known as kipas 

Balinese Mahogany Wood of Hanuman, the monkey hero, divine devotee of Lord Rama, 

and central character in the Hindu epic Ramayana, which we purchased at Yana