Category: Asian Art

Igniting Balinese cultural memory via Afghan Box Camera images

by Richard Horstman

Black and white photographs are making a resurgence within the ocean of Bali imagery circulating in cyberspace. Compelling pictures of yesteryear, describing the people and landscape, ignite nostalgia. Foreigners often yearn for ‘real Bali’, the pre-colonial era when the island was without modern influences. There is, however, a growing sentiment within the Balinese seeking change … Continue reading Igniting Balinese cultural memory via Afghan Box Camera images

English painter Bruce Sherratt: tropical surrealism & the power of the subconscious mind

by Richard Horstman

‘The Sacrament’, 2017 Bruce Sherratt. Pigment, cloth and oil on canvas. 300 x 200 cm Art, like the universe, is infinite. The perception and the processes of art-making may be as unique as the individual. Art ignites our senses as we interact with our inner and outer worlds. Nature’s power and beauty inform us through … Continue reading English painter Bruce Sherratt: tropical surrealism & the power of the subconscious mind

Emerging women artists on Bali

by Richard Horstman

‘Fantasy World of Mine’ 2021 – Dayu Sartika. Watercolour on paper. Bali’s distinct feminine energy is one of the foundations of the sacred and extraordinarily artistic traditional culture. Internationally revered for its potent and abundant lifeforce, a new generation of female Balinese and Indonesian creatives thrives on the island, increasingly independent and career orientated. Through … Continue reading Emerging women artists on Bali

Nus Salomo: pioneering 3D printing & design innovation with contemporary art imagination  

by Richard Horstman

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  

Digitizing Balinese Iconography into the 21st-Century

by Richard Horstman

‘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

Swoofone: a glimpse into the future of contemporary Balinese art

by Richard Horstman

‘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

Cakravala: a new Indonesian cultural portal with vast horizons

by Richard Horstman

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

Contemporary Balinese artist Made Valasara’s questioning & exploration of material potential

by Richard Horstman

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

Know thyself: Balinese female painter Dayu Sartika’s inner journey through art

by Richard Horstman

Socrates (469–399 B.C.E.), the ancient Greek philosopher, famously declared, “Know thyself”.  Carved into stone at the entrance to Apollo’s temple at Delphi, the inscription has encouraged people throughout the ages to engage in a search for self-understanding. Balinese emerging artist Ida Ayu Komang Sartika Dewi’s creative practice strips away the invisible layers of her being … Continue reading Know thyself: Balinese female painter Dayu Sartika’s inner journey through art

Fresh Directions in 3D Balinese Contemporary Art

by Richard Horstman

Some of the most significant historical developments in Balinese contemporary art find their roots, ironically not on the Island of the Gods, yet in Yogyakarta. During the 1970s, a group of pioneering art students, led by their Balinese teacher Nyoman Gunarsa (1944-2017) at the Academy of Seni Rupa Indonesia (ASRI), set Balinese art upon a … Continue reading Fresh Directions in 3D Balinese Contemporary Art