Masks of Bali, Between Heaven and Hell: Living Mask Traditions and Masterpieces of Masks

This magisterial two volume set of books with a foreword by Jokowi Widodo, the president of Indonesia, is the standard work on an ancient Balinese artform that has fascinated the outside world since the early 20th century. Richly illustrated with more than one-thousand images, it represents the fruit of more than four years of dedicated work by a team of experts including photographer Doddy Obenk and designer Ni Luh Ketut Sukarniasih who have diligently researched archives and collections around the world. The main texts consist of an essay by I Made Bandem, a renowned Balinese dancer and scholar, on still living dancing traditions. This is supplemented by a detailed history, written by Bruce W. Carpenter, tracing back the origins of this remarkable performance art to the pre-Hindu era. Other texts concern sacred never before photographed masks and biographies of famous mask makers and dancers. The gallery, a separate volume more than 300 pages in length, is an illustrated compendium of Balinese masks from the 16th to 20th century sourced from great museum, institutional, private and temple collections with extensive captions and supplementary information. This book is not only for scholars or those specialized in Balinese studies but also a general audience including those interested in international performing arts, sculpture, Asian art and history.