Indonesian Arts And Craft Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Indonesian Arts And Craft - Article Example They also comprise of Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and animists living in historic places, bamboo huts, city apartments as well as long houses. Indonesian craftwork reflects the customs, religions, history and modern influences. Craftwork can be divided into three groups namely those of outer Indonesia, those of inner Indonesia and those affiliated to Islam. Indonesian art comprises of designs from Islamic or Chinese beliefs and symbols, Buddhist and Hindu designs brought by traders from India, ancestor worship and early animistic worship and beliefs (Expat, 2014). Indonesians have preferred to concentrate on culture rather than the economy and politics. The numerous ethnic groups and religions in Indonesia form part of the cultural richness and diversity in the nation. Each ethnic group has its own theatre, dance and storytelling tradition. The oldest known dance and theatre tradition of Indonesia can be found in Java (Bunanta and MacDonald, 2003). The shadow puppet theater also known as the wayang kulit has been in existence for years and is one of the most famous arts in Indonesia (Bunanta and MacDonald, 2003). The shadow puppet is made using leather. In fact, wayang kulit means shadow made by leather. The shadow puppet was mainly influenced by Hindu and Islam, although western culture also played a significant role. Painting has been part and parcel of the culture of Indonesia for many years. In the nineteenth century, Indonesian painting became very popular. This was after the arrival of the Dutch and other Europeans. Lamoureux points out that â€Å"today there are extensive artists colonies in Yogyakarta and the surrounding area, in central Java, and in Bali† (2003, p. 148). The most recognized painting is the Balinese style. In this style of painting, â€Å"artists fill their canvasses with details of daily life and mythology† (Lamoureux, 2003, p. 148). This painting has however changed since the Pita Maha revolution; the new style