Mis-placed Boomerangs: Artistic Creativity Supply Chain Capitalism, and the Production of Ethnic Arts in Bali

Abstract

Based on ethnographic fieldwork on the production, dissemination and consumption of non-Balinese and non-Indonesian ethnic arts, this paper focuses on 'mis-placed' boomerangs as an example of the emerging juxtaposition of different ethnic aesthetics in the Balinese art market. The ethnographic investigation provides insights into the socio-economic dynamics of art markets and reveals a complex interplay of the interlocking aspects of the performance of cultural identity associated with artistic skilfulness and efficiency of production of Balinese and other ethnic arts which leads to willing participation in 'supply chain capitalism'. Focusing the analysis on how, where and for whom these obj..