WELCOME TO NEKA ART MUSEUM REBORN

Neka Art Museum was originally founded in 1975 by Pande Wayan Suteja Neka and Ni Gusti Made Srimin. After almost 40 years since the inauguration of the Neka Art Museum on July 7, 1982, which coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, the next generation of Neka Art Museum owners have made significant improvements. PM. Kardi Suteja and PA. Laksmi Kardi redesigned the layout of the exhibition and renovated old buildings to enhance permanent exhibitions and conduct temporary exhibitions for increasing the appreciation of art. The permanent collection has been restructured, and a new technological system has been introduced to provide information about each artwork on display.

Neka Art Museum has been built by PW. Suteja Neka and NGM Srimin since 1975. Then the Mecaru and Melaspas ceremonies were performed on Buda Umanis 16 July 1975. On July 17, 1976 began to open to the public under the name Neka Fine Art Exhibition. About 7 years through a struggle that was quite draining emotionally and physically facing obstacles and with the help of friends finally the Neka Art Museum inaugurated by the Minister of Education and Culture Dr. Daoed Joesoef on July 7, 1982. Most of the legend artist attended the ceremony like : Affandi Koesoema, Hendra Gunawan, Abdul Aziz, Dullah, Anak Agung Gede Sobrat etc. On September 3, 1994, after 12 years the Neka Art Museum was officially opened and then the Arie Smit Pavilion was established. On July 22, 2007, the 25th anniversary of the Neka Art museum, Pavilion Keris was inaugurated by the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Ir. Jero Wacik. PM. Kardi Suteja as Deputy Director of NAM held a Keris Seminar entitled Keris in Culture: Traditional Dagger and The Art. with keynote speakers: Haryono Haryoguritno (26 January 1932) Former first aide to President Soekarno,figures who fought for the Indonesian keris to be recognized as a world heritage by UNESCO as well author of the book Javanese Keris between Mysticism and Reason, 2006. The second speaker is Ida I Dewa Gede Catra (Sidemenh Bali, 23 June 1937) Elementary School teacher , Most Balinese Script Translators and Lontar Copies (4,120 papyrus copies, 120 papyrus original works). One of the founders of the Lontar Library and the third speaker is Neka Art Museum keris curator: KRT. Sukuyo Hadinagoro. After 36 years the Neka Art Museum was officially opened, the management of the Neka Art Museum was handed over to PM. Kardi Suteja. At the end of 2019 the global Covid-19 pandemic began to occur in the world, starting from the city of Wuhan, China. At the beginning of 2020 it was officially announced that Indonesia had been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, so all tourist objects were closed to the public. This pandemic has given Neka Art Museum owners wisdom and opportunity to make major improvements. During 2019-2021 Neka Art Museum was renovated by the initiator PM. Kardi Suteja and PA. Laksmi Kardi. Changes to the layout of the permanent exhibition space and redesign of several buildings, especially in the front area. A clear separation is made between the permanent exhibition area and the temporary exhibition area which also functions for creative economic activities. The position of the statue of Dewi Saraswati is rearranged. Its location is made higher and made in line with the new building of the Candi Srimsu Catur Dwara. This imaginary line is the dividing line for the permanent area and the temporary exhibition area. On December 24, 2021 it will be held Mecaru (cleansing and purifying ) and Ngulapin (giving soul and spirit) ceremonies in Balinese Hinduism in the new building at the Neka Art Museum. The most significant changes are the statue pavilion and Affandi pavilion. On April 20, 2022 the Statue Pavilion and Pavilion Affandi's arrangement has been completed. Especially for the Affandi Pavilion, it was rearranged in a separate room with the addition of 2 paintings from the private collection of the PM. Kardi Suteja. April 22, 2022 is a special day NEKA ART MUSEUM REBORN.

Neka Art Museum permanent exhibition area, you will be greeted by sculptures ranging from classic styles (Wayan Neka, Wayan Ayun), primitive styles ( I Nyoman Cokot) to modern styles (Nyoman Nuarta, Made Supena, Wayan Pasti). Balinese Painting Pavilion, which features classical wayang styles (by Mangku Mura, Nyoman Mandra, Nyoman Arsana) as well as Ubud styles (by Anak Agung Gde Sobrat, I Gusti Ketut Kobot, Nyoman Lesug, Ida Bagus Rai, Dewa Putu Bedil) and the Batuan style (Ida Bagus Wija, Ida Bagus Togog, Made Budi and Wayan Bendi). The most recent addition is the Affandi Pavilion, which features the renowned works of Indonesian contemporary paintings by internationally acclaimed Indonesian maestro, Affandi Koesoema (1907–1990).

Lempad Pavilion is notable for housing highly original masterpiece of traditional Balinese paintings by I Gusti Nyoman Lempad (1862–1978), where most of the paintings on display are selections from maestro Walter Spies in the 1930s. The painting that has become one of the icons of the Neka Art Museum entitled Mutual Attraction by Abdul Aziz is displayed at the Indonesian Contemporary Painting Pavilion along with paintings by Srihadi Soedarsono, Anton Kustia Widjaja, R. Roedyat, Hardi, GM Sudarta, Mangku Soebroto and many others.

Arie Smit Pavilion which displays works of art by the legendary painter Arie Smit (1916-2016), who gave birth to the Young Artist Painting style (I Ketut Soki, Nyoman Tjakra,) and also works by modern Balinese painters such as Made Wianta, Nyoman Gunarsa, Wayan Kun Adnyana, Made Budiana, Nyoman Erawan, Made Sumadiyasa, Pande Ketut Taman and many others.

The East-West Art Annex Pavilion features modern paintings from popular Indonesian artists such as S. Sudjojono, Dullah, Le Man Fong, Hendra Gunawan, Jeihan, Widayat, Bagong Kussudiardja on the second floor there are Rudolf Bonnet and Willem Gerard Hofker in addition to works by Antonio Maria Blanco, Theo Meier, Donald Friend, Chang Fee Ming, and so on.

There is a Photography Pavilion devoted to the black-and-white photographs by Robert Koke, documenting Balinese art and culture from the 1930s to the early 1940s.

The Keris Pavilion, which was officially opened in 2007, is one of the main attractions Balinese Dagger (Keris) as well as Kamardikan Keris. Welcome and enjoy the visiting Neka Art Museum.

Pande Made Kardi Suteja
( Director of Neka Art Museum
NAM Reborn Initiator )