3416400749

Lc nom du futur musćc, Puri-Lukisan, cst l’equivalent dc Palais des bcaux-arts. Les plans des trois batimcnts, situes dans un parć avcc un theatre de rerdurc ct dcux pićces d’eau, sont l*ceuvrc du peintre Rudolf Bonnet, qui s’ćtait construit ii dix ans auparavant une maison et un atelier de style local moderne, s’harmonisant admirablemcnt avcc le cadre naturcl. Grace aux matćriaux fournis par les autoritćs dc Bali, h des fonds limires, ct a bcaucoup de paticnce, on est parvcnu cettc annće a achever le premier batiment. Cest un ćdifice simple, de style bali-nais moderne, construit avcc des matćriaux locaux: cocoticr, bambou, pierre du pays, bilik et atap pour la toiturc. Les osuvres sont ainsi presentees dans unc ambiancc qui rappelle ccllc ou clles ont ćte conęues. Lc hall d’entree cst richcnicnt dćcore de fresqucs. Lc batiment comprcnd en outre six salles de pcinturcs dotees d’un excellcnt ćclairage, une salle de sculptures de pierre et dc bois, et, au premier ćtage, un bureau et un magasin.

Lc conservateur actucl, M. Bonnet, connait parfaitement, depuis vingt-huit ans, Part ct les artistes balinais. Grace a des dons, a des prćts et a quelques achats, il a pu rćunir une fort bellc collection de tableaux ct dc statues. Le musee cst ouvcrt au public depuis quclques mois.

Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawati.

Puri-Lukisan

MUSEUiM OF BALINESE MODERN ART AT UBUD, BALI¹

Tjokorda Gde Agung Sukawatf.

79

1. Scc also:    “Museums in Indoncsia”,

Museum, vol. X (1957), p. 276.

The Puri-Lukisan is the first modern art museum in Indoncsia; it is at present intended cxclusively for modern Balincsc art.

BalPs uniquc culturc has produced a living art of world renown; its dances and gamclan musie have, in fact, bccomc world famous. The plastic arts of Bali also won new acclamation when, abandoning the rigid style of agc-old tradition, Balinesc artists vcntured into a modern frec interpretation of Balinesc life and lorc which, nevertheless, retained a distinctive Balinesc charactcr. Widcly cxhibitcd, at homc and abroad, modern Balinesc paintings, drawings and sculptures werc received with enthusiasm and many of the best examples are now to be found abroad. Although wc rcjoice in this succcss, we cannot help dcploring the fact that the painters and sculptors of Bali arc deprived of the privilcgc of contemplating the finest art produced by their contemporaries and their predecessors, certainly one of the conditions for the developmcnt of their own art. In Den-pasar, the Bali Museum displayed treasures of ancient Balinesc art, but there was no compar-ablc treasury for modern Balinesc art; the need for a permanent Museum of Modern Art was kcenly felt.

Before the war plans for such an institution were drawn up by the Balinese art society Pita Maha sińce dissolved; but the plans could not be realized at that time. In 1953, with a similar end in vie\v, Tjokorda Gde Agung Khanaka, Tjokorda Gde Anom Bawa and the present writer werc able to crcate the Ratna Wartha foundation for the purpose of cstablish-

7*

ing a museum at Ubud, which is a living centrę of modern art in the Southern part of Bali and a fitting place for the museum. From the start, this young foundation was wclcomed with approval and sympathy by both the authoritics and the public. The Sticusa (Stichting voor Culturcie Samenwcrking) and various privatc firms and friends of Balinesc art madę it possiblc for the Ratna Wartha foundation to purchasc a bcautiful sitc at Ubud. On 31 January 1954, the foundation stonc was officially laid by the Minister of Education and on this occasion the Prime Minister dedicatcd a memoriał tablet. The name Puri-Lukisan (Pałace of Fine Arts) was givcn to the futurę Museum which was to include threc buildings in a park, with an open-air theatre and two ponds. It was designed by the painter, Rudolf Bonnet, who ten ycars before built his own beautiful house and studio in the modern local style there, harmonizing perfectly with the Balinese scenery. With mate-rials contributed by the govcrnmcnt of Bali, our own limited funds and a great dcal of patiencc, it was possiblc this ycar to complctc the first building—a simple one in modern Balinese style, constructed with such local materials as coco-nut wood, bamboo, parasstonc, bilik and alap for the roof. The style has hclpcd to pre-serve something of the atmosphere in which the objeets exhibited were oncc crcated. A richly dccoratcd open entrancc hall with murals, six rooms with cxcellent light for paintings, one hall for sculpture and woodcarving and an up-stairs room for administration and storage make up the Museum (fig. 71-79).

At present, the curator is Mr. Bonnet who for 28 years has had elose contact with Balinesc art and artists. Through gifts, loans and a few purchascs he has been able to bring together a fine collection of paintings and statues by various Balinese artists. Somc months ago the Museum was opened to the public.

141