Art in Ubud

One of the reasons we decided to come to Ubud was that we had heard that there was a buzzing art scene and where better to start the discovery than at the Museum of Fine Arts. This gave us a good overview of the various schools of Balinese art. The museum itself is gorgeous and set in some beautiful gardens – lots of thick greenery, statues and streams. I’d love a garden like that, but where else could it exist apart from in Bali? Inside the first building, we found out that a foreigner called Rudolf Bonnet was a huge influence in Ubud and had helped to establish the first permanent gallery. The art of all types definitely had a theme going: daily life. The paintings were very busy and packed full of activity. They were often so dense that they appeared like they were moving. I was quite surprised by this art, as when I think of Bali, I think of quiet, tranquil scenes with terraced rice paddies and swaying palm trees. There were also paintings depicting local festivals, dances and Hindu stories.