Paradise lost? Exhibition highlights ‘merciless exploitation’ of Bali
A month-long fine arts exhibition has opened in Bali revealing what the participating artists called a symbolic opposition to the destructive development taking place on the resort island.
Titled "Irony in Paradise", the exhibition will run until July 9 and is organised by the influential artists’ community, Sanggar Dewata Indonesia (SDI).
"This is an expression of our anxiety and concern over numerous phenomena that have been taking place on our beloved island," the organiser, I Gede Made Surya Darma, told the Bali Post.
The exhibition features 65 paintings, sculptures and installations and is being held at the Agung Rai Museum of Arts compound in Ubud.
Surya Darma pointed out that for decades the island and its people had succumbed to the incessant stream of praise and acknowledgement over their exoticism, cultural wealth and traditional wisdom, while the majority of Balinese people did not realise that behind that veneer was "merciless exploitation damaging the tiny island".
"We have Tri Hita Karana, a local teaching on how a man must strive to preserve the harmony between God, nature and mankind. Yet what we see nowadays is a constant betrayal of that teaching.
"This is the irony that we all must be aware of," Surya Darma stressed.
The theme is reflected in the displayed works. An art installation entitled "Nenten Me Adol" (Not for Sale) comprises a miniature of the island made of husked rice and paddy plants.
It captures the uneasiness felt by many Balinese over the unstoppable rise of the tourist industry and its impact on the agriculture industry.
In a separate development, state news agency Antara reports that Bali is seeking some 400,000 Mainland Chinese tourist visitors for calendar 2013, an increase of approximately 10% from the 2012 total of 310,904.
Ian Jarrett
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