Woven Leaves of Bali

In the touristy journeys from one part of Bali to another, the one art that jumps at the traveler, whether or not one is looking, is the art of basketry. Created by weaving dried leaves together, these works of art can be seen everywhere – at shrines, at the entrance of every home, on crossroads and within households.

There are separate uses for weaving made of fresh leaves and dried leaves. Dried leaf weavings appear to be used for long-life objects that are used for sturdier purposes, while fresh leaf weavings are used for items that are required to be replaced daily – such as worship offerings.

Here are some photos of art created out of  dried palm leaves:

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And in the past the art was taken to a higher level by embellishing these dried leaf weavings with beads:

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The Art of Life is not about competing with others – it is about taking the resources that are available to us and arranging them in a pleasing way.

jm

July 2016

[More images of AFO-891 & AFO-894 may be seen here in the Cultural Art Objects Gallery on wovensouls.com]

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Link to note on fresh leaf weavings ” Side Effects of Religion”