Bali on My Mind

The island of Bali in Indonesia, was the focus of exhibitions curated by two ASEMUS member museum - Bali: dancing for the gods at the Horniman museum in London and Balinese Art in Transition at the Kunst Historisches Museum In Vienna. Bali: dancing for the gods at the Horniman museum is curated by Fiona Kerlogue and it features a gift to the museum of historic film and photographs belonging to Beryl de Zoete, who was co-author, with Walter Spies, of the classic work Dance & Drama in Bali. The historical materials will be completed by research carried out by on dance in Bali today. This exhibition of film and photographs provides a backdrop for the understanding of Balinese culture – showing both change and continuity. This exhibition is on till Sunday, 8 January 2012 In Vienna, the exhibition Balinese Art in Transition has just ended on 2 May was curated by Jani Sri Kuhnt-Saptodewo, the Asian curator of the museum. This exhibition also featured a gift– in this case, a donation given to the Kunst Historisches Museum in 1946 by Helene Potjewyd, an Austrian born in Indonesia. Ms Potjewyd, assembled her collection while liviing in Bali in the 1930s  as a manager of a souvenir shop. Her collection contains several works by members of an artistic circle founded by the Russian-German artist and musician, Walter Spies. The exhibition thus provides a fascinating insight into the art scene in Bali insights into the Balinese art-scene between tradition, Art Nouveau and Art Deco. For more information on the exhibitions: Bali: Dancing for the Gods Bali Art in Transition