Photo: Joint Seminar between ISI BALI and AIIT Japan, Tuesday (23 June), at the General Lecture Hall, Design Hub, ISI BALI.
Denpasar, Bali — The Indonesian Institute of the Arts Bali (ISI BALI), in collaboration with the Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology (AIIT), Japan, organized a joint seminar entitled “Religion in Art” (With Particular Focus on Balinese Hinduism and Culture) on Tuesday (23 June) at the General Lecture Hall, Design Hub, ISI BALI. The event formed part of the Bali-Bhuwana Kanti (Global Culture and Arts Project Networking) program within the framework of Bali Padma Bhuwana VI 2026.
The seminar featured three distinguished speakers from Indonesia and Japan who explored the interrelationship between religion, art, and culture in Balinese society. The speakers included Prof. Mitsuhiro Maeda, Secretary General of the Asia Professional Education Network (APEN); Mr. Masashi Nakagawa, Executive Director of the Global Association of Civilizational Diversity; and Prof. Dr. Gede Yudarta, Dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts at ISI BALI.
In his presentation, Prof. Mitsuhiro Maeda delivered a lecture entitled “Balinese Community Rituals/Festivals as a New Civilization: Towards Brain Functional Civilizational Analysis.” He emphasized that Balinese rituals and festivals possess not only spiritual and cultural significance but can also be understood as components of a broader civilizational framework that shapes patterns of thought, social behavior, and harmonious relationships among humans, nature, and religious values.
Photo: Joint Seminar between ISI BALI and AIIT Japan, Tuesday (23 June), at the General Lecture Hall, Design Hub, ISI BALI.
Meanwhile, Mr. Masashi Nakagawa presented a paper entitled “From Artwork to Resonance: Art as a Living Connection in Balinese Society.” His presentation highlighted how works of art in Bali transcend their function as mere aesthetic objects, serving instead as dynamic mediums that connect communities with their traditions, social environments, and the spiritual values embedded in everyday life.
On the same occasion, Prof. Dr. Gede Yudarta presented a study entitled “Religiosity and the Existence of Gamelan Gong Beruk in the Ngusaba Desa Ritual at Pura Pemaksan Bangle, Karangasem, Bali.” He explained that Gamelan Gong Beruk constitutes an important cultural heritage with a vital role in the religious rituals of the local community. Beyond functioning as a performing arts ensemble, it serves as an integral component of spiritual practice and a significant marker of Balinese cultural identity.
Photo: Joint Seminar between ISI BALI and AIIT Japan, Tuesday (23 June), at the General Lecture Hall, Design Hub, ISI BALI.
The seminar was conducted in an interactive format and attended by dozens of students from various academic programs within ISI BALI. Participants demonstrated considerable enthusiasm through active engagement in question-and-answer sessions and discussions addressing strategies for the preservation, safeguarding, and sustainable development of Balinese arts and culture amid the challenges of globalization. (ISI BALI Public Relations Office)
