If you visit Bali, don’t miss Tegallalang as your vacation destination. Tegallalang is a great interest area for visitors because of its lush location famous for its terraced rice fields but also as a craft shopping paradise. This area is also known as the world’s longest art shops, as there are many art shops along the road which runs approximately 12,2km.
Tegallalang has always been a fertile area, most of the people are farmers, but the Balinese people’s ability in carving is very inherent. The development of sculpture in Tegallalang began in 1986, starting with a group of local youth returning home from the Mas village, which is famous as an area of artisans carving Balinese wooden sculptures. Carved statue in the Mas village is growing, so in need of artisans from outside the region, including from Tegalalang.
Tegallalang is fertile, and there is much woods to encourage a group of young people to develop handicrafts in Tegalalang. Some craftsmen start making a sculpture that is different from the others so that sculptural designs are made that are easy, economical, and have their characteristics. The carving theme is close to daily life, such as animals, fruits, and trees with bright colors. Sculptures made for the benefit of galleries or private collections, emphasize the compatibility of esthetic elements and more affordable prices.
In the 1990s, this Tegalalang sculpture began to be in high demand and developed well. There are more and more people in Tegalalang who are craftsmen, craft shops have emerged along Tegalalang Street. Tegallalang consists of several hamlets, but the hamlets that become craft centers are Gentong and Sapat. The production process is usually done by men and the coloring process by women and children.
Now the crafts that are found in Tegallalang are not only wooden sculptures but are developing from a variety of sizes, materials, and functions. There are crafts from iron, cement, stone, rattan, woven fiber, woven bamboo, macrame, earthenware, paintings, deco glass, shells, coconut shells, roots, cloth, feathers, leather, beanbags, etc. Take your time and happy shopping!