I completely unplug from my digital screens (well, almost) and I recharge. It’s how I slow down and free my mind to make room for inspiration. This year we went to the island of Bali in Indonesia.
Bali is striking for its sweeping beauty, radiant people and infectious tranquility. Even the cows are sleepy. It proved the perfect setting to get away from our busy, networked lives and give way to a slower rhythm.
In Bali, the way everyday objects are conceived and produced is rooted in tradition. Form is analogous to function; durability and expert craftsmanship are everywhere. Banana leaves and bamboo substitute for many of the plastics we deem necessary.
When I travel abroad, I have a few routine destinations I seek out — bookstores, hardware stores, supermarkets and farmers markets. I love to find local ephemera and learn about local economies.
From our visit to the island’s largest wholesalers market, we learned that Bali has an elaborate food distribution system that enables small family farmers to participate in the larger economy. We also noticed that none of the meats, fish or produce were refrigerated — and yet there were none of the smells we associate with our own supermarket meat aisles. It turns out that even at this scale, only as many goods are brought to market as will be consumed that very day. What a novel concept.
Bali is also known for its elaborate stonework. With Hindu temples on every street block, traditional art surrounds everyday life. But sometimes fanciful stone directionals turn up in unexpected places, like the one we found along a dirt path in the middle of a rice paddy. I take particular delight in local vernacular signage.
From a sustainability perspective (which I’m know to be nerdy about), island cultures are always fascinating to learn about, because they have natural resource constraints that they’ve adapted to over generations. Bali, for its part, has overcome intense poverty and rampant starvation from as recently as the 1960s with very effective social programs that promote family planning.
And then there were the monkeys. Funny, I thought I was going to Bali to get them off my back.
The daughter of an airline pilot, Gaby Brink began traveling globally at an early age. Today she is dedicated to nurturing environment and social causes and helping organizations with sustainability at their core thrive. Most recently, she co-authored The Living Principles for Design. And with her team at Tomorrow Partners, where she is the founder and creative director, she built its online community and global coalition of partners. She’s also responsible for the integrated brand launch of Mohawk’s new Loop line. See her studio, here.
