Street Art in Bali

Art has always been an integral part of Balinese society. It is an art of Hindu-Javanese origin that grew from the work of artisans of the Majapahit Kingdom. This was during the expansion of the kingdom into Bali in the late 13th century. The advent of western artists early in the 1900’s proved a turning point in the direction ands style of Balinese painting, however, the traditional essence remained. The two main centres for art in Bali are Ubud and Batuan and renowned worldwide for this form.
As tourism grew to the point where now Bali is practically the number one destination for westerners in South East Asia, so did the influence of another form of art; urban art. Travel anywhere across the archipelago of Indonesia and you will notice in the major cities creative art sprawled across walls and underpasses. Some is purely political and evolved during the Soeharto era. I don’t mean your stupid ‘tagging’ or un-arty scribble that to my mind is pure vandalism.
Expressive art is the art of youth and is in itself just that; art. Of course you will see a lot of vandalistic tagging in the streets of Kuta and Denpasar, in fact most places you go across the island. But, there is that expressive art that can be found and pleasing to the eye. A lot of people merely look at expressive art, or as it is known; urban art, as being grafitti and a pure of vandalism. I totally disagree with this path of thought. Urban artists are artists in their own right. It is just another art form using a different canvas.
Besides the street urban art that can be found in Bali, there is also the form of urban sculptural art. The best two pieces of this I have seen on Bali are located in the Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) in Jimbaran. These are two statues of bulls creatively painted and in my thought, stunning pieces of urban art.
Imagine a tropical land filled with ancient art and deep rooted traditions, hidden in the Indonesian islands. A place filled with ornate statues and temples, intricate and detailed. This place is the island of Bali, a haven of perfect waves and tribal history. Bali is well known as being one of the top destinations for tourism with it’s beautiful beaches and great hotels. But what about street art? In a country renowned for amazing statues, and elaborate hand carved pictures, is there any room for this new form of art? The answer is yes, but it’s not quite what you would expect.
The Balinese have a real respect for their temples and buildings, they do not spray paint on them or deface them in any way. Hinduism is deeply ingrained in their culture and they believe that every object, even a wall, has life and power in it. But there is a real sense of freedom there, no police chasing after you to slap you with a ticket for vandalism. So in the developing cities of Kuta and Sanur, is where you will find some local street art. Usually located down a side street or alley, graffiti artists tag Bali style. There is a broad spectrum of style in the street art, from abstract portraits, to typical urban style lettering. While there is Western influence in the tagged lettering, the real Bali style is in the tribal art.
Once vilified, street art now carries a vast amount of cultural cache. Gone are the days when spray paint on a wall signified blight; today you’re as likely to find a wheatpaste or woodblock inside a gallery as outside. Pieces by renowned artists like Banksy and Swoon fetch thousands of dollars and are collected by rock stars, actors, and museums. Street art has always been cool, but in the twenty-first century it’s become an art.
Nevertheless, the best place to see street art remains the street. Around the world, street artists express emotion, give voice to the marginalized or downtrodden, protest, or simply create beauty. They use a variety of tools, including yarn, stickers, magazines, found objects, tiles, LED or laser displays, and brooms, as in the case of “reverse graffiti,” in which a dirty area is cleaned such that the removal of dust or detritus forms an image. Most of the time, street artists don’t have permission to put their work up in public spaces.
The following cities are noted for their art and artists. Any city likely has some street art, if you know where to look. Spying a poster or tiny mosaic is a reward for anyone who begins to really interact with his or her environment. So walk down those alleys and peer behind those signs; you never know what you might see. The here-today-gone-tomorrow emphemerality of the pieces is part of their charm.