I’ve admired and enjoyed beautifully worked wood ever since I was a young man. During my trips abroad over the years I’ve tried to find nice pieces to add to my collection. The crowded shelves and clutter around my house are a testament to how successful this accumulation has been!
I’ve seen some fantastic wood carvings originating from Bali, so when we finally visited the country earlier this year it was important to me that we include a quality carving shop in our itinerary. You can find nice carvings of lower quality at most gift shops in Bali, but I wanted to see “the good stuff”.
Our guide took us to Mammoth Art Emporium, a large, well-known wood carving gallery in Bali. It specializes in top-quality handmade traditional and contemporary Balinese wood carvings. It is situated in the Batuan/Sukawati neighborhood, one of Bali’s traditional centers for wood carving. The visit did not disappoint us.
The Emporium featured an extensive collection of intricate wood carvings in native woods, mostly teak, sandalwood, and hibiscus. Pieces range from small decorative items to massive statues including life-sized or larger figures. Many of the items have a Hindu theme (while Bali is in Indonesia, a Muslim country, it is distinctly Hindu). You find carvings of deities, mythologic creatures, a variety of animals, and much more.
The showroom is spacious and filled with thousands of pieces. We arrived late in the afternoon, just before they were closing the shop, but if you go earlier you can often watch master carvers at work here. The sales guy told me they sometimes offer select wood carving classes which need to arranged in advance – I lack the skill for this but if I was a carver, I would definitely find the time for such a class.
We wandered through the store and found at least 100 items I wanted to buy, but settled on 2 smaller pieces (one teak, one of the interesting green and cream-colored hibiscus wood) which we could pack into our luggage. Prices are negotiable. Offer about half the asking price and settle at about 2/3s to 3/4s of the asking price. The stuff is not cheap, but for the quality of craftsmanship I thought it was very fair. Cash is definitely preferred over credit cards. Your items will be masterfully packaged for you.
Mammoth is definitely a higher end commercial art emporium/gallery aimed at tourists and collectors. But the carving is top notch, as you can see from the photos accompanying this post. If nothing else, stop buy to enjoy the artistry.
- Address: Penida / Raya Penida area, Batuan Village, Sukawati, Gianyar Regency, Bali (near Jl. Raya Negara)
