Paradise lost? How we're ruining Bali Kuta Beach in Bali pictured covered in waste in 2011. Kuta Beach was cleaner in 2003. Picture: The Wandering Angel/Flickr Locals fear Bali is being "destroyed" Tourists are to blame for waste, traffic gridlock Is the island being exploited for the sake of tourism? IDYLLIC beaches are littered with waste, traffic is gridlocked, some footpaths and roads are in a dangerous state of disrepair and billboards are taking over jungles. It's little wonder some locals fear Bali is being "destroyed." And if you love nothing more than nipping over to Bali to put your feet up and sip a cocktail while soaking up the spectacular sights, you could be playing a part in it all. Now fed-up local artists are taking a stand against the "exploitation" of the island for the sake of the tourism industry, by launching an exhibition titled: Irony in Paradise. Held at the Agung Rai Museum of Arts in Ubud, the exhibition features 65 paintings, sculptures and installations that explore the damage that has been done to the idyllic getaway, which is expecting to attract 2.8 million foreign tourists this year. Australians make up the largest number of foreign visitors to Bali, up 0.74 per cent on-year to 179,375 and making up nearly a quarter of all foreign tourists visiting Bali in the first three months of 2013. And it's taking a toll on the island, according to artists from the renown Sanggar Dewata Indonesia Art Community, who are behind the exhibition. Chairman Wayan Sunadi said the exhibition is being held as a reflection of the rapid development that engulfed the island's socio-economic, environmental and artistic landscapes. This is part of our anxiety as artists, watching many ironies on our island. Bali is very famous as an international tourist destination, as the island of paradise, but the paradise has been damaged," Sunadi said. According to the artists, this is how Bali started off: "Mysterious images of an exotic island far off in the East Indies began to circulate in Europe early in the 1900s. During an era when Europe was reeling from the horrors of World War I and in fear of a communist revolution these images immediately caused a sensation. They struck a chord with the disillusioned Europeans hungry for new experiences and a tropical haven. Soon after, free-spirited intellectuals, writers and artists began visiting Bali to document an idyllic and seductive world. "They discovered a "foreign" culture, steeped in tradition, elaborate ceremonies, extraordinary art, music and performance, and gentle people living in a "nirvana" fringed by beautiful white sand beaches." But now, it's all changed. As the modernisation of Bali speeds relentlessly into the 21st century, we are witness to an unparalleled clash of cultures. The Island of the Gods scared balance and philosophy of Tri Hita Karana has become endangered and in Irony in Paradise, this collision of Eastern and Western values is under scrutiny," he said. The exhibition began last weekend and runs for a month.