Gianyar, Regency

Arma Museum, a Living Center of Art

Arma Museum located in Pengosekan sub village, Mas village, Ubud sub district, Gianyar regency, is a phenomenon of vision of the former painting peddler named Anak Agung Gde Rai. This museum was officially dedicated by Minister of Education and Culture Mr. Wardiman Djojonegoro on 9 June 1996. According to Agung Asrama, Assistant Director of Arma Museum, the museum was established not just to display the owner’s painting collection, but also to give a chance to the visitor to learn in detail more about fine art.

Moreover, especially for the foreigner, Arma Museum routinely stages a dance performance on its open stage. “If they want to, they can learn the Balinese culture, like learn how to paint, dancing, instrument playing, carving, cooking and other activities,” said Agung Asrama.
The museum is constructed with an amazing natural village panorama and is always crowded everyday with children’s noise sound that merged in Arma Art Studio. The boys who play the gambelan (instrumental playing) will join in sanggar tabuh (tabuh studio) and for those who are interested in dancing will choose sanggar tari (dance studio). Almost all the young girls join in the dance studio. The talented children who are consided capable to perform this type of dance are permitted to ngayah (perform a stage without payment) in the temples or at Arma Open Stage, moreover some of them who own an achievement are usually sent overseas. Recently, some children went to Holland as arts ambassadors. Those who were interested to watch over the skills and talents of these youngsters can come directly to Arma Museum each Saturday night.
Arma provides the best arts instructors; most of them are graduates from STSI (Indonesian Arts Institute) Denpasar and own a spectacular achievement. Beside that, Arma also provides for non-STSI instructors that are capable of the best teaching technique, such as Gusti Raka, legong kraton danceer from Peliatan village, who is loved by former President Soekarno in the era 1950’s, Mr. Tutur (the late) and other instructors.
According to dance instructor I Wayan Joni, anyone can join in this studio, without differentiating which one is the rich or poor. Ketut Muka, one of the children’s parents who joins in this studio, feels very proud with Arma’s contribution. “This is truly a social-mission that should be roundly applauded. Without spending any money, my children can get a dancing skill in Arma Arts Studio,” he proudly said. A similar situation also describes Ni Made Suarjani who joins her twin-daughter in the studio.
Arma Museum appears as a living center of arts, which not only stores paintings and other arts, but also as a place to teach the youngster to become an artist who will be an inheritor of the arts and culture of Bali. (BTN/029)