Still Life Oil Painting from Indonesia, ‘Coca Cola in Bali’

Coca Cola bottles stand in front of an ancient temple wall in a clear example of acculturation. Balinese dragons cap the bottles, which have been refilled with i arak, /i a drink elaborated from palm sap. “Coca Cola as an American pop icon has influenced many aspects of Balinese life,” says artist Ketut Teler. “Empty bottles of Coca Cola are filled with arak, then some of it is spilled in a sacred ceremony as i metabuh, /i which pays respect to the Buta Kala or negative energy from the earth. This is just one example of how the collaboration of two cultures has occurred, an effect of globalism.”