Denpasar, DENPOST.id – The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Kura Kura Bali (KKB), located on Serangan Island, South Denpasar, is home to a unique cultural-art house known as Abode Bali. The public can freely enter this space without having to present identification. 

Abode Bali stands out for its collection of antique Balinese cultural artifacts, carefully curated and well-preserved. Before entering the gallery, visitors pass through an art and craft shop, where many of the displays are made from recycled materials. 

Descending a spiral staircase, guests are greeted with a display of traditional Balinese puppets. 

According to curators Deasih S. Sudarman and Pincky Sudarman (Monday, February 17, 2025), the gallery is dedicated by KKB to the people of Bali. It was inaugurated during the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua, Badung, in November 2022. The owners intentionally opened the gallery as a free space for everyone, especially Balinese communities, to reconnect with their own cultural heritage. 

Dea explained that in an era when young people are often preoccupied with social media, the gallery serves as a place for them to learn and appreciate Balinese heritage. One of Abode Bali’s most treasured collections is an antique selonding gamelan, preserved in excellent condition. This piece even inspired the gallery’s owners to invite children from Serangan Island to learn megambel (playing gamelan). The vision goes further—to reach audiences in Denpasar, across Bali, and beyond Indonesia. 

A former journalist and long-time collector, Dea noted that the gallery’s collection represents only a small part of Bali’s vast cultural wealth but reflects the unique artistry of different regions, such as the Tenganan Pegringsingan textiles of Karangasem. Interestingly, much of Abode Bali’s collection comes from Dea herself. 

During her time as a television journalist, she often traveled across Indonesia and acquired various artworks and cultural objects, including those from Bali, which she later curated into Abode Bali’s collection. Today, dozens of these pieces adorn the gallery. The initiative doesn’t stop there—the gallery also welcomes contributions from others to expand its collection, not only with Balinese artifacts but also cultural works from across the archipelago. 

Head of Communication at KKB, Zakki Hakim, added that Abode Bali’s collections aim to spark young people’s love for art and culture, supported by their families. He also hinted that in the future, KKB may develop a larger museum aligned with Balinese Hindu philosophy, Tri Hita Karana (THK). The concept highlights the harmony between humans and humans, humans and nature, and humans and the divine—a philosophy KKB hopes to embody as a source of inspiration and happiness. 

Source : 

https://www.denpost.id/seni-budaya/amp/105514583281/abode-di-kura-kura-bali-mengoleksi-benda-seni-budaya-langka