Traditionally, Batuan paintings were restricted to the Kamasan or Wayang style - visual narratives of Hindu-Javanese epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata, which were produced for religious purposes. These renderings followed strictly prescribed rules, and were usually produced collaboratively and anonymously.
It was after the arrival of several famous western artists during the 1920s and 30s that painting in Bali took on a more secular and rural nature. In Batuan, paintings became dense, crowded scenes from daily life, juxtaposed with an unseen world of fantastic spooks and freakish monsters.
Today this style has evolved to incorporate whimsical artifacts of modern day life such as tourists, motorcycles, surfboards, computers, cameras and helicopters.
Following are a just a few of the more than 200 artists involved in the Batuan Style painting movement in Batuan.
I Wayan Bendi
I Wayan Bendi is a living legend, the leading practitioner of the Batuan style of painting which developed in Bali in the 1920’s-1930’s. He was born in 1950, in Batuan. He still remains rooted to his birthplace, where he has his studio and art gallery.
Bendi is also an artist with a mischievous streak. For a Batuan artist, he is considered very colorful with his ‘soberly bold’ colors like brick red and light olive. Then there’s his ‘thing’ about helicopters. Bendi usually has one somewhere in his crowded agrarian scenes, and part of the fun is to hunt for it. Another favorite, the t-shirt clad, inquisitive tourist with his intrusive, long nosed camera lens, snapping away amid the water buffaloes and rickety taxis. It’s a Bendi trademark that speaks volumes about his concern for Bali’s relationship with the almighty tourist dollar.
In recent years, Bendi has expanded his focus to capture traumatic events that has impacted Indonesia, from the Bali bombing to the tsunami. Always, Bendi’s witty, observant paintings are like a macrocosm of modern Bali life.
Wayan Bendi's gallery is located along the main road to Ubud, just North of the traffic light in Batuan.
For more information visit http://bendigallery.com/
I Made Budi
I Made Budi was born in 1930 and presently lives in his family compound
in the Village of Batuan. He is married, has two wives and eight
children. His home village has always been renowned as an important
center of painting, dancing, puppetry and sculpture.
Budi, who like nearly all Balinese, was raised in a constant environment of culture and creativity as a way of life (he is also a sculptor and master musician), has adopted the traditional art stylings of his ancestry. He is, however, one of the first Balinese painters to successfully combine and/or justapose ancient visions with contemporary realities. Indeed, in his own way he produces a topographical/journalistic documentation of contemporary culture using traditional techniques employing chinese calligraphy inks, watercolors, and oils.
The small road leading to I Made Budi's home and gallery is located about 300 meters East of Batuan temple. Look for the sign that reads "I Made Budi and son I Made Muja, Painters".
I Ketut Murtika
I Ketut Murtika was one of the major contemporary artists to work in the Batuan style. He became well known and his works appear in many public and private collections.
The painting here is an excellent example of both the Batuan style and Ketut Murtika’s extraordinary skill. It shows dozens of figures including farmers ploughing, women with temple offerings piled high on dishes balanced on their heads and so on amid dense foliage replete with myriad jungle animals, and with a pervading mood of magic and gloom.
More Artists to Come:
I Wayan Ariana
I Made Cekeg
I Made Dana
I Made Darma
I.B. Jokohadi
Dewa Ketut Djatra
Dewa Kompiang Badung
Dewa Kompiang Pasek
I Wayan Malik
I Wayan Martawan
I.B.M. Meregeg
I Wayan Naka
I Made Nyana
I.G.A. Natih Arimini
I Dewa Made Raka
I Ketut Sadia
I Made Sujendra
I Dewa Nyoman Tjita
I Wayan Warsika
I Nyoman Yuda
It was after the arrival of several famous western artists during the 1920s and 30s that painting in Bali took on a more secular and rural nature. In Batuan, paintings became dense, crowded scenes from daily life, juxtaposed with an unseen world of fantastic spooks and freakish monsters.
Today this style has evolved to incorporate whimsical artifacts of modern day life such as tourists, motorcycles, surfboards, computers, cameras and helicopters.
Following are a just a few of the more than 200 artists involved in the Batuan Style painting movement in Batuan.
I Wayan Bendi
I Wayan Bendi is a living legend, the leading practitioner of the Batuan style of painting which developed in Bali in the 1920’s-1930’s. He was born in 1950, in Batuan. He still remains rooted to his birthplace, where he has his studio and art gallery.
Bendi is also an artist with a mischievous streak. For a Batuan artist, he is considered very colorful with his ‘soberly bold’ colors like brick red and light olive. Then there’s his ‘thing’ about helicopters. Bendi usually has one somewhere in his crowded agrarian scenes, and part of the fun is to hunt for it. Another favorite, the t-shirt clad, inquisitive tourist with his intrusive, long nosed camera lens, snapping away amid the water buffaloes and rickety taxis. It’s a Bendi trademark that speaks volumes about his concern for Bali’s relationship with the almighty tourist dollar.
In recent years, Bendi has expanded his focus to capture traumatic events that has impacted Indonesia, from the Bali bombing to the tsunami. Always, Bendi’s witty, observant paintings are like a macrocosm of modern Bali life.
Wayan Bendi's gallery is located along the main road to Ubud, just North of the traffic light in Batuan.
For more information visit http://bendigallery.com/
I Made Budi
I Made Budi was born in 1930 and presently lives in his family compound
in the Village of Batuan. He is married, has two wives and eight
children. His home village has always been renowned as an important
center of painting, dancing, puppetry and sculpture.Budi, who like nearly all Balinese, was raised in a constant environment of culture and creativity as a way of life (he is also a sculptor and master musician), has adopted the traditional art stylings of his ancestry. He is, however, one of the first Balinese painters to successfully combine and/or justapose ancient visions with contemporary realities. Indeed, in his own way he produces a topographical/journalistic documentation of contemporary culture using traditional techniques employing chinese calligraphy inks, watercolors, and oils.
The small road leading to I Made Budi's home and gallery is located about 300 meters East of Batuan temple. Look for the sign that reads "I Made Budi and son I Made Muja, Painters".
I Ketut Murtika
I Ketut Murtika was one of the major contemporary artists to work in the Batuan style. He became well known and his works appear in many public and private collections.
The painting here is an excellent example of both the Batuan style and Ketut Murtika’s extraordinary skill. It shows dozens of figures including farmers ploughing, women with temple offerings piled high on dishes balanced on their heads and so on amid dense foliage replete with myriad jungle animals, and with a pervading mood of magic and gloom.
More Artists to Come:
I Wayan Ariana
I Made Cekeg
I Made Dana
I Made Darma
I.B. Jokohadi
Dewa Ketut Djatra
Dewa Kompiang Badung
Dewa Kompiang Pasek
I Wayan Malik
I Wayan Martawan
I.B.M. Meregeg
I Wayan Naka
I Made Nyana
I.G.A. Natih Arimini
I Dewa Made Raka
I Ketut Sadia
I Made Sujendra
I Dewa Nyoman Tjita
I Wayan Warsika
I Nyoman Yuda