Neka Art Museum Houses Painters’ Works

Neka Museum located in Sanggingan, Ubud (Gianyar Regency), is a private museum, established in 1976 and officiated on 7 July 1982. This museum has a unique character because it collects works by famous Balinese painters, Indonesian painters from outside Bali and foreign artists who domiciled in Bali just to draw inspiration out of the beauty of this island.
Neka Museum is built on an area of 9150 square meters, with a complex of houses of around 2850 square meters wide, housing 7 buildings. These buildings have a division consisting of rooms, while each room preserves collections of paintings describing the trace followed by the historical development of art of painting in Bali. By going through these rooms, one can follow the growth and top painters in Indonesia of painting and the works produce development of the Balinese.
On entering the first building of the Neka Museum, visitors can see Balinese classical paintings reflecting puppet stories. The painting row begins with showing puppet paintings themed on Ramayana, Mahabharata, and other Hindu mythology. The second room shows Balinese paintings of a transitional character with paintings produced by Ubud artists. Of course, these puppet paintings differ in style with the Kamasan works.
The Ubud style of painting emerged in the 1920’s with assistance given by Dutch painter Rudolf Bonnet and the all-round artist Walter Spies. This style became a modern way of painting during that time, because the painters already considered aspects of composition, anatomy, and coloring. Moreover, in room IV there are paintings in the style of Batuan, a village located 7 km south of Ubud. It has applied techniques similar to that of Ubud, but with clear differences due to the absence of anatomThe Balinese artisans also take a step in applying Puja Surya Sewana spirit through the platform in welcoming the New Year 2003. The Art platform in welcoming the new dawn of 2003 will be concentrated at Puputan Badung Park, in the heart of Denpasar City from morning, Tuesday, December 31st 2002 until the next morning, Wednesday, ic elements in the paintings of Batuan style.
The second building is a pavilion dedicated to the works of Arie Smit. The Arie Smit Pavilion houses Smit’s works exclusively, especially on the first floor. Smit was born in the Netherlands, but known as an Indonesian painter domiciled in Ubud.
His painting is a merger of elements of impressionism, Fauvism, and expressionism. On the lower floor, there are works by Panestanan’s painters taught by Arie Smit, known more popular as the “young artists”. There are still contemporary paintings by Balinese artists of their academic education on this floor.
Works by the famous late painter, I Gusti Nyoman Lempad, have invited interest of visitors in a special pavilion. Most of his paintings are on the media of paper with pen with themes of Balinese people’s tales and Indian mythology. Further buildings house works of various styles by famous Indonesian painters, and works by foreign artists inspired by the beauty of nature and Balinese culture. January 1st 2003.
While you spend a holiday in Bali, don’t miss many events of welcoming the new dawn at Puputan Badung Park. Or you can also go straight to the Griya Pedanda (the Balinese priest residence) in Bali to see the Surya Sewana ritual. The purity vibration of Surya Sewana charms from the Balinese priests will make your holiday truly remarkable. (Ketut Sumadi )