Bali has long held a special place in the Western imagination, not only for its reputation as a tropical paradise, but for its artistic culture. Here, art, performance, and ritual are a part of the everyday.
While Bali is widely appreciated as a vibrant center of visual and performing arts, there has never been an in-depth exploration of its artistic traditions in the United States until now. Bali: Art, Ritual, Performance brings the art and artists of this special Indonesian island to San Francisco so that you can experience firsthand its culture, beliefs, and practices. See not only artworks but explore the context in which they were made and used, as the museum comes alive with the kinds of music and performance that fill Balinese ritual life.
The 131 artworks on view—many borrowed from international collections and never before seen in the U.S.—range from simple, yet deftly woven images of the rice goddess to elaborately carved and gilded chairs. Shadow puppetry, gamelan performances, masked dances, and more provide a museum experience as unique and mesmerizing as Bali itself. The Asian Art Museum is the exclusive venue for this exhibition.
