Art in Bali

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From Movement to Access: A Dancer’s Vision for a Better Art Ecosystem

An interview with Linda Hoemar Abidin Cofounder, Yayasan Kelola Chairperson of the Supervisory Board, Koalisi Seni Interview & article by Kendisan “The challenges women artists face are often domestic.” - Linda Hoemar Abidin, Koalisi Seni Supervisory Board Chairperson Linda Hoemar Abidin On her first day as a dancer with the New York City-based Elisa Monte Dance Company, the dance company’s manager handed Linda Hoemar Abidin a printout of her schedule for the next two years. Linda, at the time still in her early twenties and much more accustomed to the fluid, unpredictable pace of her home country, found the experience astonishing; it was unfathomable that a dance company should already have two years of performances mapped out so precisely. This experience as well as receiving Asian Cultural Council grants to study at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and later at Columbia University, and witnessing the 1990-1992 Festival of Indonesia in the United States gave her new amb...

Indonesia Steps Forward at Art Central Hong Kong 2026

Indonesia’s presentation at Art Central Hong Kong 2026 did not rely on spectacle. It was measured, coordinated, and quietly strategic. Through the Ministry of Culture’s MTN Seni Budaya program, Rising Currents brought a group of Indonesian galleries into one of Asia’s most active art circuits with a level of structure that has often been missing in past international appearances. For those who follow Southeast Asia closely, the shift is noticeable. Indonesian art has long held depth. Strong studio practices, distinct visual languages, and a layered relationship to history and identity. What it has lacked is consistent access to the platforms where global conversations take shape. This is where Rising Currents begins to matter. Eight galleries participated, spanning Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Bali. The inclusion of spaces such as Bali’s Puri Art Gallery signals something important. Bali is often read through its legacy. Tourism, tradition, craft. But within that, a contemporary ...

The Bali Art Scene Difference

Artworks by Fajar Kadafi at BIJI Art Space What sets Bali apart is not just how art is made, but how the scene functions. It runs on a different set of priorities, and you can feel that pretty quickly. Art here starts at ground level. It isn’t separate from daily life. Offerings, temple elements, carvings, and textiles all carry aesthetic intent. That shapes how artists think and work. Even contemporary practices tend to feel grounded, not because they directly reference tradition, but because making is already part of the environment. Batuan students at the community art school in Batuan There is also a living lineage that still holds weight. Places like Batuan, Ubud, and Pengosekan continue to produce work with distinct visual identities. These aren’t frozen styles. They shift and evolve, but remain recognisable. You can still see how influence moves across generations. The structure itself is unusually open. Studios are often part of homes. Artists are accessible. Events such as Ub...

Ogoh-Ogoh & Nyepi: Bali’s Ritual of Chaos and Silence

Ogoh-Ogoh Festival Image Source : Prokomsetda.bulelengkab.go.id Ogoh-Ogoh Night (Pengerupukan) On the eve of Nyepi, Bali erupts into controlled chaos. Giant demonic effigies called ogoh-ogoh are paraded through villages in a ritual known as Pengerupukan. These towering sculptures—often grotesque, humorous, or politically satirical—represent bhuta kala (negative forces or chaotic energies). Built collaboratively by local youth groups (sekaa teruna), they are carried through the streets to gamelan accompaniment before being symbolically destroyed, usually by burning. Ogoh-Ogoh: Manifesting the Unseen Ogoh-ogoh emerge from Balinese Hindu cosmology, particularly the concept of bhuta kala—forces of time (kala) and chaotic energy (bhuta) that exist alongside the human realm. On the eve of Nyepi, known as Pengerupukan, these energies are symbolically drawn out and given form. The creation of ogoh-ogoh is not simply decorative. It reflects the Balinese worldview of Rwa Bhineda—the coexistence ...

Women in the Balinese Art Scene: 2026 and Beyond

Painting by Ni Desak Putu Lambon The role of women in Bali’s art scene has shifted dramatically over the past century. Once confined largely to craft traditions such as weaving, offerings, and ceremonial preparation, women are now central to the island’s contemporary visual culture. In 2026, they are painters, muralists, curators, collectors, writers, and cultural architects. Historically, painting lineages such as Kamasan and Batuan were dominated by men. Early figures like Ni Desak Putu Lambon and Ni Made Suciarmi disrupted those structures by entering formal artistic practice at a time when it was socially discouraged. Their presence marked a quiet but radical shift: women claiming authorship within visual storytelling traditions. Ni Desak Putu Lambon Ni Made Suciarmi Today, that authorship has expanded into multiple directions. Artists such as Mangku Muriati sustain classical forms while embedding contemporary commentary into sacred narrative frameworks. Meanwhile, internationa...

Art Jakarta Papers: Elevating Paper as Contemporary Practice

Set to take place on 6–8 February 2026, Art Jakarta Papers marks an important new chapter in Indonesia’s contemporary art landscape. Conceived as a focused offshoot of Art Jakarta, this dedicated fair places the spotlight on paper as a primary artistic medium, challenging long-held assumptions about its fragility and positioning it firmly within the contemporary market. From drawings, prints, and works on paper to sculptures and installations that push material boundaries, Art Jakarta Papers offers a nuanced exploration of how artists engage with paper today. Rather than treating it as preparatory or secondary, the fair foregrounds paper as a site of experimentation, intimacy, and conceptual rigor. This approach opens space for collectors and audiences to engage more closely with process, mark-making, and material sensitivity. Held just months after Art Jakarta 2025, the fair builds on the momentum of the main event while carving out a distinct identity—one that encourages slower...

The upcoming 2026 Bali Art Calendar

Exhibition at Artotel Sanur In 2025, Bali’s art scene continued to flourish through a rich and distinctive annual calendar shaped by ritual, tradition, and contemporary creativity. Unlike many global art destinations, Bali has relatively few large-scale commercial art fairs. Instead, the island offers a deeply immersive cycle of annual events that integrate art into everyday life, landscape, and communal experience. The calendar opens with one of Bali’s most visually striking cultural moments: Ogoh-Ogoh Night . On the eve of Nyepi, the Day of Silence , towering sculptural effigies are paraded through villages and cities, combining craftsmanship, mythology, and performative spectacle. The following day, Nyepi brings the entire island to a standstill — a rare collective pause that resonates deeply with artists and creatives, often inspiring themes of reflection, balance, and renewal. As the year unfolds, contemporary art takes center stage through events such as Ubud Open Studios , a hi...