Kamasan Village in East Bali

Kamasan – the village of Balinese painters

While Kamasan Village refers to a small community of painters, it holds a place of great significance in the history and culture of the kingdom of Klungkung. In the old days, Kamasan painters were commissioned by the royal courts. The art form has persisted to this day – much of the detailed lines and shadings in natural dyes of red and ochre applied onto cloth, bark, and more recently, canvas.

A unique aspect of Kamasan paintings in public installations is that they are painted collaboratively, so the creations tend to be anonymous. The production of these works also follows strict rules, such as when to start a project, what to feature and how to depict certain episodes, since they all carry religious significance. Today, you can witness the creation of more contemporary art pieces at various studios throughout the village and even pick up a brush and learn some strokes yourself.