a window into art in Bali & Indonesia
Ruth Onduko The 2008 GFC (global final crisis) spelt disaster for the Bali art world. The Indonesian art market after a record boom went to bust with collector’s buying immediately slowing, galleries around the island closed, while others wound down their activities. The woes continued with a decrease in tourism and smaller holiday budgets … Continue reading Bali art world personalities: meet Ruth Onduko
Richard Winkler at work in his Sanur studio Swedish artist Richard Winkler’s creative development charts a course that isn’t unlike others who have settled in Bali. He has, however succeeded in doing what few foreign artists in Indonesia can do. Art lovers and collectors quickly recognized Winkler’s talent and he created a niche within … Continue reading Swedish Artist Richard Winkler at Home in Bali
7 ‘Moto Runner’ 2016 Nus Salomo, alluminum, 45 x 75 x 120. Image courtesy of Nus Salomo Digital technology has thrust open the door for 3D contemporary artists to offer greater value to society, especially within 3D printing. Jakarta based sculptor and multi-media artist Nus Salomo is pioneering design innovations into new and exciting fields. … Continue reading Nus Salomo: pioneering 3D printing & design innovation with contemporary art imagination
‘La Salaga’ 2021 – by Balinese Kamasan master painter Made Sesangka Image Richard Horstman The La Salaga legend from West Sulawesi is an epic that rivals the fantastic Hindu tales from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. This distinct tale merging a new Islamic religious culture of Sulawesi with the Hindu’s of south Bali is, unfortunately, … Continue reading La Salaga: a legend of two cultures immortalized in the Balinese Kamasan painting style
Unless You Know Another Way 2021 – Jean-Philippe Haure. 42 x 30.7 inches. Gouache, mixed media, gold leaf, on paper laid on canvas. A timeless artwork radiates undeniable excellence, along with a mysterious potency. It has a unique freshness embodied within it that is enduring, and it remains as vibrant as the day it was … Continue reading Jean-Philippe Haure’s eternal quest for beauty
‘AZIZA’ 2020 Exploring art on human body. Photograph by @govindarumi Muse @nkd.sentiments Emerging Indonesian artist Irene Febry’s collaborations with multi-disciplined creatives and the community construct beautiful layered collages that reflect our natural environment Creating an environment of cooperation as opposed to competition is the natural order of ecosystems. Cocreation is the most potent and practical … Continue reading Irene Febry’s artistic collaborations invite us to look closer
Temple image sourced from Tropenmuseum Mysterious images of a distant exotic island of the East Indies began circulating in Europe in 1920. During an era when Europe was reeling from the horrors of World War I and the fear of a communist revolution, the photos published in two volumes ‘Bali’, caused a minor sensation. They … Continue reading Images of Paradise and the Exploitation of Bali
‘Menata potongan kertas/Arranging paper cuttings’ 2021 – Rio Saren, mixed media on canvas, 190 x 250 cm. Artists are distinguished by their observation and awareness of the human experience and their ability to transform inspiration into engaging creative forms. During the past two decades, Rio Saren has experimented obsessively with colour, items and form, striving … Continue reading Rio Saren parts with convention to forge fresh directions in Balinese painting
‘Balinese Demon’ – commissioned design by HNS Studio The 21st-century digital creative economy is the catalyst and thriving platform to propel Balinese creatives into new and growing local and international markets. Technology and the Internet empower emerging artists, pushing their cultural iconography to fresh heights. New domestic and foreign audiences are embracing it. The Balinese … Continue reading Digitizing Balinese Iconography into the 21st-Century
‘The Book of Infinite Knowledge’ 2020 – Swoofone Mixed media on wood. 120 x 175cm. ‘The Island of the Gods’ is an incomparable sensuous experience. Mysterious and captivating, our perception encounters fascinating visual and non-visible layers. Bali’s thriving artistic landscape increasingly contributes an aesthetically potent and relevant dimension. One young artist has recently impacted the … Continue reading Swoofone: a glimpse into the future of contemporary Balinese art
I am fascinated by the evolution of creativity within contemporary culture. We are living in exciting times and the pandemic has accelerated our human potential. I believe the artists and creatives lead the way. Their imagination, activities and questioning introduce society to new, functional experiential forms and technologies manifesting in a better world – a … Continue reading Cakravala: a new Indonesian cultural portal with vast horizons
One of the most enjoyable aspects of observing the Bali art scene is witnessing young artists’ creative development. To grow, emerging artists must take risks and experiment. Some willingly embrace change, others less so. An artist’s career is about the journey, not the destination. There is no substitute for dedication, honesty and hard work. Contemporary … Continue reading Contemporary Balinese artist Made Valasara’s questioning & exploration of material potential
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