For thousands of years, Balinese textile artists have adorned simple cloths with elaborate embroidered depictions of classic folk epics. As one of the many artistic expressions of Balinese culture, these colorful pieces offer insight into the tradition of storytelling in Bali while reminding us that ancient universal themes of morality, man versus nature, and the triumph over adversity can be just as significant today. In STORY CLOTHS OF BALI, Indonesian art expert Joseph Fischer shares his collection of more than 100 of these exquisite pieces alongside engaging text about how to utilize these textiles to study and appreciate traditional Balinese culture. The first major study of an unusual group of Balinese embroideries, STORY CLOTHS OF BALI is a fascinating glimpse into a culture rich with creativity, diversity, and tradition. Story cloths are used as ritual decorations and offerings in Balinese and Hindu temples, household ancestor shrines, and village ceremonial buildings. Discusses the various stitching techniques employed for each piece, how to determine the skill level of specific stitches, and the cultural significance of each textile. Includes a glossary of important Balinese characters and terms.

Textiles have long been integral to the social life and cosmology of the people of East Sumba, Indonesia. In recent decades, the villagers have entered a larger world economy as their textiles have joined the commodity flow of an international ethnic arts market, stimulated by Indonesia's tourist trade. As the people of Sumba respond to an immensely expanded commerce in their cloth, tensions and ironies emerge between history and innovation in both cloth and lives.

In this beautifully illustrated book, three experts examine the history, production and uses of textiles in Balinese society. Many fine pieces are presented, their raw materials and methods of weaving and dyeing are described, and the complex symbolism and ritual functions of each are explained in detail.

True tales direct from the lips of an eclectic mix of youthful vagabonds, rainbow gypsies, artists, giddy optimists, cosmic healers, and colorful misfits who experienced Bali between 1970 to 1985.

Magic, depravity, spiritual ambition, sensuality, and love -- The Painted Alphabet binds mythic and modern time together in a rich, slyly suggestive novel based on an old Balinese poem. In a fresh and startling picture of Bali -- where witches coexist with tourists and talking animals -- the novel explores a kaleidoscope of vanity, desire, and the longing for goodness. ,

The Folk Art of Bali focuses on the Balinese narrative tradition as represented in classic painting, in shadow puppets, in painting on glass, and in embroideries. This tradition includes the Ramayana and the Mahabharata epics, Tantri stories, Jataka tales, and folklore. Most of the folk art depictions in this book have never been reproduced before. They demonstrate the aesthetic attraction, high skill, great diversity, and sacred significance of art in the past and present cultural life of Bali.