地址: Jalan Tegal Bingin, Mas, Ubud, Kemenuh, Gianyar
From the audacious dreams of a Balinese businessman, a space from which to fly off on the wings of fantasy - it’s the Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets, created 14 years ago by collector Hadi Sunyoto in order to preserve traditions at risk of being lost for the benefit of all. Spread throughout tiny wooden buildings known as “joglo”, the museum is immersed in a typical Indonesian village just outside of Ubud, where rice paddies trace the landscape. The museum holds 1700 masks and 5700 marionettes from all over Indonesia but also China, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia - ritual and religious objects but, above all, protagonists of the rich theatrical traditions that are common to all the regions of the area. To complete the collection, Sunyoto added pieces gathered from across the globe - thus, right next to the characters of Indonesian shadow theatre, we find masks and puppets from Africa and Japan, Venice and Papua Nuova Guinea. However, Setia Darma isn’t merely a museum - it’s spacious open-air amphitheatre can hold up to 500 spectators, desirous to enjoy some enchanting puppet theatre on its stage.
From a traditional drink to a true national symbol, arak is so important in Bali that it is used not only on intimate and less official occasions such as moments of joy in the family and in conversations between friends, but also in religious ceremonies.
Written by Balinese scholar Professor I Made Bandem and American art historian Bruce W. Carpenter, this stunning study of masks as an ancient art form is a richly illustrated book, with over 1000 color images by photographer Doddy Obenk.
Natural pigments & dyes in Balinese traditional crafts
Colors play a vital role in Balinese culture and identity: they are symbolic and their origins are sacred. Traditional Balinese arts and crafts arise from the interconnection between man, the forces of nature and the cosmos, resulting in a divine unity.