ARMA Ubud: Walter Spies’ Legacy Meets Modern Balinese Art

The Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA) in Ubud is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the centenary of German artist Walter Spies' arrival in Bali. The exhibition, titled ROOTS, will run until June 14, 2025.

The exhibition is an in-depth exploration of Spies' influence on Balinese art and culture.

Walter Spies first arrived in Bali in 1923 and soon became a pivotal figure in the development of modern Balinese art. He not only created his own works but also actively collaborated with local artists, promoting a synthesis of European and Balinese artistic traditions.

One of the first artists of the Batuan school, I Nyoman Ngendon began with the traditional Wayang style but, influenced by Spies, started depicting scenes from everyday life and nature. His works can be seen in the Puri Lukisan and ARMA museums in Bali, as well as in museums in the Netherlands.

Anak Agung Gde Sobrat, from a noble family in Ubud, worked and lived with Spies for a year. Under his influence, he mastered Western painting techniques, including perspective and composition. His early works show Spies' influence, especially in the use of double horizons.

I Gusti Nyoman Lempad was a sculptor, architect, and artist whose works reflect a synthesis of traditional Balinese art and new artistic directions. While maintaining his unique identity, his friendship with Spies and other Western artists facilitated the exchange of ideas and techniques.

One of his significant contributions was his collaboration with Balinese dancer Wayan Limbak, leading to the creation of the Kecak dance.

Kecak is a unique performance combining traditional rituals and theatrical storytelling, adapted for an international audience. It has become one of Bali's most iconic cultural symbols. An impressive spectacle, where dozens of men in traditional sarongs rhythmically chant 'chak-chak-chak', creating a hypnotic soundscape without musical instruments. It's not just a dance, but a living ritual uniting myth, theater, and collective energy.

The origins of kecak lie in ancient Balinese spiritual practices, particularly the sanghyang ritual, during which participants enter a trance and 'invoke spirits' through chanting and movements.

The modern form of the dance, which has gained worldwide fame, was shaped in the 1930s thanks to the creative collaboration between German artist Walter Spies and Balinese dancer Wayan Limbak.

Spies suggested using the structure of sanghyang as the basis for a theatrical performance, incorporating scenes from the epic 'Ramayana' — one of the most important poems of Hindu tradition. Thus, kecak emerged as it's known today — a blend of ancient Balinese ritual and dramatic storytelling, adapted for audiences worldwide.

The ROOTS exhibition includes works by contemporary Balinese artists such as Made Bayak and Gus Dark, as well as installations and short films reflecting the post-colonial transformations of Bali's culture, including the impact of mass tourism and cultural heritage preservation.

Special attention is given to the film ROOTS directed by Michael Schindhelm, which will be screened at various art spaces in Bali and at the ARMA museum on June 14.

Several screenings already took place at the end of May in different parts of Bali. After the screenings, the main characters, artists, and participants of the film gave interviews and answered questions from the audience.

Founded by Agung Rai, the ARMA museum is not only a repository of artworks but also a center of cultural life for the island of Bali. It features some of the finest collections of Balinese art, as well as works by artists from across the Indonesian archipelago.

The museum actively hosts workshops, artistic, and cultural events, promoting the preservation and popularization of Balinese art and culture.

You can visit the permanent exhibition displayed in the main building's hall and see Balinese artists at work on the museum grounds.

On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the ARMA Museum hosts gatherings for professional and aspiring artists who wish to draw a live model. Everyone is welcome, so bring your sketchbook and enjoy. The session lasts two hours, and the invited model is paid 100,000 IDR.

The ROOTS exhibition at the ARMA museum is a unique opportunity for tourists and locals alike to dive into the rich history of Balinese art and see how Walter Spies' legacy continues to inspire contemporary artists.