Balinese Masks: Spirits of an Ancient Drama Paperback – March 10, 2011

The leading published pictorial resource on Balinese masking traditions, with beautiful photographs and brief but helpful and very accurate explanations. One reviewer noted that this book just scratches the surface of Balinese masking traditions. He is correct. However, publishing a negative review for that reason is fatuous, given that the book is excellent for what it tries to accomplish, and there is quite literally no better book on the subject available. In fact, very little has been published even in anthropological circles on all the Balinese stories and myths, both derived from Hinduism and arising from local legends, that make their way into the masked theatre in Bali. It would I think be difficult to find a publisher willing to bear the cost of publishing a highly graphical book covering the literally hundreds of Balinese masks, because the market for such a comprehensive work would be limited. In short, if you are looking to learn about Bali's amazing and diverse masking traditions, you will find no better book.

I use this book to inspire mask-making in art therapy

Not a great resource , the Balinese have a bottomless amount of masks and characters, this book skims the surface, but does not have much information on characters who they are what part they play, type of dance they would be involved in, coffee table quick flip.

As a theatre practitioner interested in learning about Balinese masks, I found this book to be invaluable. It is one of the only books of photographs of Balinese masks I have found, and many of the mask makers work shown in this book are the traditional carvers whose work is on display in the Museum of Masks and Puppets in Mas, Bali. Slattum provides explanations of the dances and uses of the masks, and these are indeed brief, as though the publisher was more interested in this as a photo book, but there is also information here I've not been able to dig up in other internet or book searches. I found the book even more useful after I had visited Bali myself---since many of the internet images of masks are cheap tourist versions, not always representative of the high level of carving in Bali.

Wie viele Bücher bei Periplus über Bali (aber nicht alle!) ein ebenso gut aufgemachtes wie kenntnisreich geschriebenes Werk mit hervorragend deutlichen Fotos. Endlich kann man die vielen Masken aus den Märkten, die man alle nicht gekauft hat, zuordnen. Die Sammlung ist vollständiger als zum Beispiel die Dauerausstellung im Art Center Denpasar. Eine echte Fundgrube für die nächste Balitour, mit der ein zielgerichteter Einkauf von Masken erleichtert wird.Bei aller Magie, die in Bali in den Masken steckt: Wenn der Maskenschnitzer keine an Touristen verkaufen kann, hat er nichts zu beißen. Dieses typisch balinesische Wechselspiel von Heiligem und Profanem wird in dem Buch sehr gut integriert.Der sammelwütige Leser vermisst vielleicht Preise, aber genau das ist sehr gut: erstens hängen die extrem vom Hersteller oder Händler ab (und damit natürlich auch von der Qualität!) und zweitens gehen in Bali seit Jahren alle möglichen und unmöglichen Preise regelmäßig durch die Decke, was schnell zu einem viel zu billigen Eindruck führt.Der Einblick in die Herstellung ab S. 23 gibt einem eine Ahnung vom Aufwand der Herstellung. Vielleicht sollte man den mal einfach mit dem eigenen Stundenlohn multiplizieren, wenn man das nächste mal einen Preis ausfeilscht. Das soll hier nicht zur Akzeptanz des ersten Angebots animieren sondern zu einem mäßigen und selbstbewussten Verhandeln, dass auch die Gegenseite respektiert. Ohne Handeln ist es in Bali gar kein richtiges Geschäft'Viel Vergnügen beim Schauen und Träumen!Like many books about the sujet Bali (but not all!) this Periplus book is as well written as produced. The photographs are sometimes stunning. Now the connaisseur is given knowledge about all the masks he photographed with his last Bali tour. Maybe the collection is even more complete than the steady display in the Art Center Denpasar. Its just a fine guide for your next trip there.Regarding the magic inside the masks is not a reason not to buy some. The carver has to make a living, too! This interplay of holy and profane is so typical Balinese. You should relish it, when you go there. Its well integrated to the book.The lack of price quotations is no drawback, because prices in Bali are skyrocketing and soon a picture of much to cheap masks would be painted.The look into the workshop p. 23ff gives an idea about the work included with a handmade mask and gives an idea about its value from this point of view.I hope the readers of this fine book enjoy hours of leisure and enlightenment.