Make Art Not War

Make Art Not War

Liina Klauss invited Bali to imagine peace with a new public art installation named “Make Art Not War”. She needed 20,000 flip-flops, which were brought to the installation site close to Pantai Kendungu in Tabanan, on several small pickup trucks. There, Liina collaborated with over 100 volunteers of different backgrounds, adults and children and the local Banjar to create the 5m high and 50m long art project: “Make Art, Not War.”

Liina Klauss, with her innovative public art installation titled “Make Art Not War,” extended an invitation to the community in Bali to envision a world of peace and creativity. This ambitious project required a staggering 20,000 flip-flops, which were transported to the installation site near Pantai Kendungu in Tabanan using several small pickup trucks. Here, Liina orchestrated a collaborative effort involving over 100 volunteers, spanning different age groups and backgrounds, in conjunction with the local Banjar. Together, they crafted an impressive 5-meter-high and 50-meter-long art installation, bearing the name “Make Art, Not War.” This endeavor not only repurposed thousands of flip-flops but also presented an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution for street beautification.

Beyond its artistic significance, “Make Art, Not War” carries a profound social message. It serves as a testament to SungaiWatch’s findings, highlighting that government policies rooted in sustainability and community involvement prove to be the most efficient means of swiftly and economically revitalizing urban spaces. Simultaneously, such initiatives foster a healthier and more vibrant environment for the local community.

We met Liina, got to know her, and had an enlightening talk about her recent installation named Make Art Not War

With the war in Ukraine, now many people’s hearts are bleeding. Even though we are so far away here in Bali, people still want to show their concerns. “We can’t really do anything,” is most people’s response. Or can we? Art, at least for me as an artist, is a great tool, not only to express but also to process.

I wanted to do a really big installation for which I needed a lot of waste. SungaiWatch collected thousands of flip-flops over the past rainy season, and when I talked to Gary, he was very enthusiastic. We joined forces, and thanks to our large and diverse community outreach, over 100 people attended. The atmosphere was great, and sweating, getting dirty, and sunburned were all part of it.

These volunteers collected thousands of flip-flops to found an eco-friendly and low cost street treatment.

And it has a social message. SungaiWatch showed that the government’s policy is not just sustainable and people driven, but the most efficient way of cleaning up the streets in short periods of time and cost effectively, while at the same time creating a better environment for the community.

It is the act and sensation of physically doing and changing something.

There’s this enthusiasm and tremendous energy, all for the sole purpose of sending a simple and positive message out into the world. It emanates and is simply indescribable. You need to experience it to know what I mean.

Even though you can’t see it, I feel it’s very powerful. It goes both ways: if you put positive energy in, positive energy will come around.”

Art can connect you to your senses, body, and mind. It can make the world feel.

Thank you, Liina for the talk and your active movements to make the world a colorful place and remind us to make art not war, because art is an expression and love is the answer, and we know it’s true!

Short Facts about Liina:

Former fashion designer, free spirit and artist from Berlin.

10 years as a fashion designer in Berlin, Tokyo, Hong Kong – now in Bali as an artist, activist, and ocean warrior.

Liina has been making colorful art out of “ocean plastic trash” since 2011.

When Liina focuses on color rather than plastic waste, the negative value “trash” is eliminated.

“You no longer judge what you find; you solely work with color. You become considerably more open and creative as a result.”

Follow Liina Klauss on Instagram @liinaklauss

Visit her most recent exhibition in Canggu @soundvisionlibrary