Bali: cultural destination

Though I mostly write about surfing in Bali, I like to mix up my blog posts with a bit of Balinese cultural news, both modern and ancient.

Here are some bites from a few recent stories that have appeared in the international media.

A South African artist, Tshepo Maponyane, has made waves in Indonesia where he studied art. Maponyane creates art out of dustbins and trash, among other media. He participated in a charity exhibition to help the victims of the Merapi volcano eruption last year.

From IOL.co.za:

The response from the public was outstanding, which led to him being interviewed on Bali TV and written about in Indonesian publications such as Reader Bali and Bali Post.

The young artist wishes to unite the people of South Africa and Indonesia through art. He sees many cultural and societal similarities between the two countries.

photo by Jos van der Hoek (bobby-james on Flickr CC)

Bali’s geographic and cultural scenery have also been making news in the travel-writing sphere.

From Opodo travel news:

Gunung Agung, Bali’s sacred volcano, looms over almost the entire island on clear days. It stands over 10,000 feet high and summiting the giant at sunrise is an epic experience. Other spectacular temples worth a visit include Uluwatu, on the cliffs of Bali’s Bukit peninsula, and Tanah Lot, set on the rugged west coast.

–Adam Skolnick, Lonely Planet Indonesia

Sharmila Ravinder, a travel writer for the Times of India, writes of the not-quite-so-foreign Hindu culture of Bali:

The Hindu temples of Bali are grandly sculpted and ornately decorated but the ancient temples lack adequate maintenance and left to stand ever since they were constructed ten centuries ago. I visited the Besakih temple, also known as the “Mother temple of Bali” that stands loftily on Mount Agung at 3000 feet above sea level. There are numerous steps that ascend at different levels of Mount Agung and the trinity shrines dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are encompassed in august courtyards.

Read her entire article here.

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