One of my most memorable museum experiences is Salvadore Dali's own personally designed museum in Figueres, Spain. These memories were instantly recalled when I first caught sight of the Blanco Museum in Ubud, with it's over-sized entrance arch and gold-painted Balinese dancers on the roof. Inside, you won't find stark spaces painted white. Rather, there are bold colors like indigo blue and Chinese red on the walls, columns capped with ornate Corinthian capitals and doors framed with traditional Balinese stone carving. Many of the paintings themselves have ornate, sometimes outlandish, frames.
The entrance to the museum building within the grounds of the Blanco Museum.
Like Dali, Don Antonio Blanco claims roots in Catalonia, Spain, although he was actually born in Manila, The Philippines in 1911 (or 1912). He lived for a while in Florida and California, and graduated from the National Academy of Art in New York. Like many artists before him, he felt the call of the tropics and traveled to Hawaii, Japan and Cambodia before eventually ending up in Bali in 1952. He married a famous Balinese dancer named Ni Rondji in 1953.
The King of Ubud granted the artist two hectares of land above the river, where he built his home and museum. Blanco passed away in 1999, but his family continues to live and work in the compound. In addition to the main museum building, there are extensive gardens with a number of birds (caged and free) scattered about. The artist's studio - still used by his son Mario - as well as the public spaces of the main house are available for viewing. A small shop near the family temple carries some fantastic jewelry designed by one of Blanco's daughters.
Curiously, I can't say the artwork itself did anything for me. I can appreciate its technique, but few of the works managed to capture my attention. This is of course a purely subjective matter, so many other people may feel differently. In any event, I would still highly recommend a visit to the Blanco Museum. It is definitely an "experience", and one not to be missed by anyone who appreciates art and architecture.
The museum is open every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission to the grounds and museum is 50,000 Rupiah (3.00 USD). See the Blanco Museum web site for additional information.