New acquisition: The Michael Abbott Bali Collection

The Michael Abbott Bali Collection

Stan Florek

Collection Officer, World Cultures, Archives & Library collections

Recently, the Australian Museum received a generous gift of nearly 300 Balinese and Javanese textiles, masks, paintings and wood carvings from Michael Abbott AO QC, an accomplished South Australian lawyer and connoisseur of Southeast Asian, Chinese and Indian cultures. In Indonesia, Abbott, who is fluent in Bahasa (an Indonesian language), formed friendships that gave him a unique insight into the traditions and practices of the region. With this refined understanding, Abbott collected exquisite and rare older pieces (some that originated in the 19th century), de- commissioned paintings and figures, ceremonial accessories, masks and textiles.

Among them is a temple offering box with a statue of Dewi Sri, goddess of rice and fertility, on the cosmic turtle Bedawang Nala, who carries the world on her back; two palm leaf manuscripts (lontar) composed in Balinese script; several paintings on wooden panels depicting iconic episodes from Hindu mythology; and two sets of very old, intricately carved doors from Nusa Penida, a small island south of Bali, that belong to the Klungkung Regency. Collectively, they provide a good selection of stylistic examples of this earlier period.

The AM Balinese Collection is greatly enhanced by this significant addition, which now numbers around 1200 objects. Abbott’s contribution provides a rich cultural context to our world class collection of Balinese ‘classical’ Kamasan paintings — since the numerous iconic characters, deities, humans, animals and mythical beings span all aspects of ceremonial practices in narrative, dance, music, theatre and life cycle rituals. It helps the Museum stand among the major contributors to the international effort of preserving, documenting and promoting the alluring Balinese cultural heritage, and will enrich and inform the work of visitors, students, artists, scholars and Balinese communities in Australia.

Expenses associated with this donation were funded by a grant from the Patricia Porritt Collection Acquisition Fund and the Australian Museum Foundation.