Ubud is truly an arts center and I visited another museum of an original foreign artist named Antonio Blanco.

The Blanco Renaissance Museum (or Museum Blanco) is located a couple of hundred yards before Symon’s Art Zoo on the way to the Neka gallery. For those coming from Ubud simply follow Jl. Raya Ubud towards Campuhan and Museum Blanco is on the left side, close to the Penestenan turnoff.

Arriving at the front gate I saw an impressive sign and then passed through an archway which gave the place a certain grandeur. At the top of the driveway is an office selling tickets which are 20,000rp and a security guard to help with parking. I paid and received a small brochure.

Kadek escorted me through the circular entrance way that leads to the garden area and the actual entrance to the museum building. The whole outside area is a carefully manicured and the place looks like it belongs to someone of note. Peacocks were wandering around outside the main staircase and the large piece of artwork that straddles it.

Antonio Blanco was from Catalonia Spain although he was born in Manila is 1911, coming to Bali in 1952. The brochure explains how he acquired a hilltop chunk of land, built his studio and married a famous Balinese dancer named Ni Ronji.

Entering the bottom level of the museum the guard told me all photography was banned so I had to put my camera away and squeeze off a couple of shots when he wasn’t looking. This no photography rule isn’t going to help anyone I reckon.

The building is circular and brightly decorated in bold colors. The artwork consists of oil paintings of nude Balinese women which seems to be Blanco’s favourite subject. Indeed the brochure says “He has artistically expressed his adoration of women as God’s most beautiful creature through his bombastic artwork of singularity in expressionist-romantic style.” Whatever. He likes to paint beautiful women who are in sensual poses, not just nudes. For me its actually nice to see the work of a heterosexual artist for a change. To sum up his style I’d say he has a somewhat minimalist element in that he uses fading lines to highlight shape which blend into background. He can definitely paint though and the faces and expressions of the models come through. He’s even got nude paintings of his daughters.

The second level had more Balinese nudes and the top level is open air, affording a view of the surround hills. The roof area is decorated with golden statues.

In the same building as the museum is his painting studio with the equipment set up and some works lining the perimeter. I asked the lady who worked there if she liked the paintings. She told me she had met Blanco, who died in 1999 aged 88, and that his paintings were done to show the inner beauty of women and were not sexually based. “Is that what he told you?” I asked. “Yes” she said. I think I am going to become an artist, you can get away with murder. When a man tells a woman he’s only interested in her inner self he’s lying. He might find out about her inner self sometime later but he wants to check out the outside first.

Blanco definitely sees himself as something of a legend and next door is another viewing room also part of the Blanco Studio which has ‘David Hockney style’ pieces that include photo’s from Playboy and suggestive poetry by ‘the Maestro’ as the brochure refers to him. Its pretty entertaining and there’s no doubt this guy had women on the brain most of the time.

Blanco’s son Mario also has a Studio on site featuring oil paintings of everyday Balinese items such fruits and religious implements. He can also paint and the skills have been passed along. Outside Mario’s Studio is a gamelan set up and I chatted with 2 ladies making offerings. This is one relaxed dog. I think its Blanco himself reincarnated.

The Blanco Renaissance Museum has the following areas for visitors to meander:
Museum, Blanco Studio, Mario Studio, Gallery, Bird Park, Family House, Restaurant, Amphitheater, Family Temple, Gift Shop. You could check the whole place out in 2 hours with ease.

The Blanco Renaissance Museum
Campuhan, Ubud

(0361) 975502
a-blanco@indo.net.id

Open daily from 9am – 5pm .

Ubud is truly an arts center and I visited another museum of an original foreign artist named Antonio Blanco.

The Blanco Renaissance Museum (or Museum Blanco) is located a couple of hundred yards before Symon’s Art Zoo on the way to the Neka gallery. For those coming from Ubud simply follow Jl. Raya Ubud towards Campuhan and Museum Blanco is on the left side, close to the Penestenan turnoff.

Arriving at the front gate I saw an impressive sign and then passed through an archway which gave the place a certain grandeur. At the top of the driveway is an office selling tickets which are 20,000rp and a security guard to help with parking. I paid and received a small brochure.

Kadek escorted me through the circular entrance way that leads to the garden area and the actual entrance to the museum building. The whole outside area is a carefully manicured and the place looks like it belongs to someone of note. Peacocks were wandering around outside the main staircase and the large piece of artwork that straddles it.

Antonio Blanco was from Catalonia Spain although he was born in Manila is 1911, coming to Bali in 1952. The brochure explains how he acquired a hilltop chunk of land, built his studio and married a famous Balinese dancer named Ni Ronji.

Entering the bottom level of the museum the guard told me all photography was banned so I had to put my camera away and squeeze off a couple of shots when he wasn’t looking. This no photography rule isn’t going to help anyone I reckon.

The building is circular and brightly decorated in bold colors. The artwork consists of oil paintings of nude Balinese women which seems to be Blanco’s favourite subject. Indeed the brochure says “He has artistically expressed his adoration of women as God’s most beautiful creature through his bombastic artwork of singularity in expressionist-romantic style.” Whatever. He likes to paint beautiful women who are in sensual poses, not just nudes. For me its actually nice to see the work of a heterosexual artist for a change. To sum up his style I’d say he has a somewhat minimalist element in that he uses fading lines to highlight shape which blend into background. He can definitely paint though and the faces and expressions of the models come through. He’s even got nude paintings of his daughters.

The second level had more Balinese nudes and the top level is open air, affording a view of the surround hills. The roof area is decorated with golden statues.

In the same building as the museum is his painting studio with the equipment set up and some works lining the perimeter. I asked the lady who worked there if she liked the paintings. She told me she had met Blanco, who died in 1999 aged 88, and that his paintings were done to show the inner beauty of women and were not sexually based. “Is that what he told you?” I asked. “Yes” she said. I think I am going to become an artist, you can get away with murder. When a man tells a woman he’s only interested in her inner self he’s lying. He might find out about her inner self sometime later but he wants to check out the outside first.

Blanco definitely sees himself as something of a legend and next door is another viewing room also part of the Blanco Studio which has ‘David Hockney style’ pieces that include photo’s from Playboy and suggestive poetry by ‘the Maestro’ as the brochure refers to him. Its pretty entertaining and there’s no doubt this guy had women on the brain most of the time.

Blanco’s son Mario also has a Studio on site featuring oil paintings of everyday Balinese items such fruits and religious implements. He can also paint and the skills have been passed along. Outside Mario’s Studio is a gamelan set up and I chatted with 2 ladies making offerings. This is one relaxed dog. I think its Blanco himself reincarnated.

The Blanco Renaissance Museum has the following areas for visitors to meander:
Museum, Blanco Studio, Mario Studio, Gallery, Bird Park, Family House, Restaurant, Amphitheater, Family Temple, Gift Shop. You could check the whole place out in 2 hours with ease.

The Blanco Renaissance Museum
Campuhan, Ubud

(0361) 975502
a-blanco@indo.net.id

Open daily from 9am – 5pm .

Ubud is truly an arts center and I visited another museum of an original foreign artist named Antonio Blanco.

The Blanco Renaissance Museum (or Museum Blanco) is located a couple of hundred yards before Symon’s Art Zoo on the way to the Neka gallery. For those coming from Ubud simply follow Jl. Raya Ubud towards Campuhan and Museum Blanco is on the left side, close to the Penestenan turnoff.

Arriving at the front gate I saw an impressive sign and then passed through an archway which gave the place a certain grandeur. At the top of the driveway is an office selling tickets which are 20,000rp and a security guard to help with parking. I paid and received a small brochure.

Kadek escorted me through the circular entrance way that leads to the garden area and the actual entrance to the museum building. The whole outside area is a carefully manicured and the place looks like it belongs to someone of note. Peacocks were wandering around outside the main staircase and the large piece of artwork that straddles it.

Antonio Blanco was from Catalonia Spain although he was born in Manila is 1911, coming to Bali in 1952. The brochure explains how he acquired a hilltop chunk of land, built his studio and married a famous Balinese dancer named Ni Ronji.

Entering the bottom level of the museum the guard told me all photography was banned so I had to put my camera away and squeeze off a couple of shots when he wasn’t looking. This no photography rule isn’t going to help anyone I reckon.

The building is circular and brightly decorated in bold colors. The artwork consists of oil paintings of nude Balinese women which seems to be Blanco’s favourite subject. Indeed the brochure says “He has artistically expressed his adoration of women as God’s most beautiful creature through his bombastic artwork of singularity in expressionist-romantic style.” Whatever. He likes to paint beautiful women who are in sensual poses, not just nudes. For me its actually nice to see the work of a heterosexual artist for a change. To sum up his style I’d say he has a somewhat minimalist element in that he uses fading lines to highlight shape which blend into background. He can definitely paint though and the faces and expressions of the models come through. He’s even got nude paintings of his daughters.

The second level had more Balinese nudes and the top level is open air, affording a view of the surround hills. The roof area is decorated with golden statues.

In the same building as the museum is his painting studio with the equipment set up and some works lining the perimeter. I asked the lady who worked there if she liked the paintings. She told me she had met Blanco, who died in 1999 aged 88, and that his paintings were done to show the inner beauty of women and were not sexually based. “Is that what he told you?” I asked. “Yes” she said. I think I am going to become an artist, you can get away with murder. When a man tells a woman he’s only interested in her inner self he’s lying. He might find out about her inner self sometime later but he wants to check out the outside first.

Blanco definitely sees himself as something of a legend and next door is another viewing room also part of the Blanco Studio which has ‘David Hockney style’ pieces that include photo’s from Playboy and suggestive poetry by ‘the Maestro’ as the brochure refers to him. Its pretty entertaining and there’s no doubt this guy had women on the brain most of the time.

Blanco’s son Mario also has a Studio on site featuring oil paintings of everyday Balinese items such fruits and religious implements. He can also paint and the skills have been passed along. Outside Mario’s Studio is a gamelan set up and I chatted with 2 ladies making offerings. This is one relaxed dog. I think its Blanco himself reincarnated.

The Blanco Renaissance Museum has the following areas for visitors to meander:
Museum, Blanco Studio, Mario Studio, Gallery, Bird Park, Family House, Restaurant, Amphitheater, Family Temple, Gift Shop. You could check the whole place out in 2 hours with ease.

The Blanco Renaissance Museum
Campuhan, Ubud

(0361) 975502
a-blanco@indo.net.id

Open daily from 9am – 5pm .