Facial features animated and arms gesticulating wildly, the guide hops from one painting to the other to point out the gentle curves and the dash of gold at the edge added by the artist. To him Balinese art is more than crude figurines modeled out of wood or clay. This is an art form that is alive, the artist a muse capturing the continuous movement of the dancer on the canvas.

And the Neka Art Museum is a celebration of these masterpieces, each unique in the message it carries and what it conveys. 400 pieces and numerous artists which include both locals and expatriates among their ranks, follow the development of Balinese Art. It begins with the wayang style traditional painting, facial features masked by elongated noses and jutting chins. Through the ages it transforms into contemporary art, such as the Indonesian painter Affandi’s Fisherman Boat, which still serves to convey the realities of rural life just as it did in the past. The pavilions and gardens are dotted with wood carved and bronze sculptures, lifelike figurines and dolls that were brought to life from the local myths themselves. These works of art coalesce into a singular voice narrating years of fiercely protected tradition, no less refined or cultured than the works of Rembrandt or Picasso.