Between Spain and the Southern Seas. At the Home of “the Fabulous Blanco”

A pinch of Dalì, a splash of Mirò and the exuberant nature of Bali animated by sensual feminine figures - we’re speaking of the paintings of Don Antonio Blanco, artist that came to the island in 1952 after many long voyages and who never left. Born in 1911 in Manila to Spanish parents, Blanco brought with him the Catalan style and creativity which still shines in his abode near Ubud. On the hills overlooking the Campuan River, the home-museum is an unexpected jewel - Spanish and Balinese architecture embrace, just as occurred in the life of the painter who married local ballerina Ni Ronji and surrendered forever to the island’s beauty. Lush gardens and a large aviary surround the building, while the extravagant interior evokes the charisma of its first inhabitants. Everything here speaks of “The Fabulous Blanco” - the studio where he painted until the age of 88, the vast hall covered in marble which hosts his masterpieces, the tropical garden where he liked to entertain guests from faraway lands, the collages, the paintings, the lithographs and the illustrated poems which trace his long career. There’s even a gallery dedicated to the works of his son Mario, a painter as well, who opened the home to the public, realising an old desire of his father.