Art in Bali

Art Jakarta returns to JIExpo Kemayoran from 2–4 October 2026, bringing 75 galleries together for its latest international art fair. More than half are Indonesian galleries, while 33 come from overseas, including 19 participating for the first time. For Bali’s art community, one of the more interesting parts of this year’s programme is the continued presence of Natta-Cita Art Space (N-CAS) from ISI Bali . Presented within the AJX section, N-CAS will bring Balinese contemporary artist-academics to Jakarta. The presentation is intended to contribute to Art Jakarta’s wider exploration of the diverse characteristics of contemporary art across the region. Bali is also represented through several galleries and art spaces participating elsewhere in the fair. The 2026 gallery list includes CGartspace X Lanö Gallery , Galeri ZEN1 , Jagad Gallery , Merah Gallery , Project ZEN1 and SUN.CONTEMPORARY.PROJECTS , all with Bali connections, alongside Nonfrasa Gallery , based in Bali. The SCENE secti...

Art & Bali returns to Nuanu Creative City from 11–13 September 2026 for its second edition, bringing together galleries, artists, designers and creative practitioners from Bali, Indonesia and further afield. Presented as a boutique international art fair, this year's programme brings together 22 galleries and more than 300 artists, alongside exhibitions, installations, talks and public programmes. The overarching theme, Bridging Dichotomies, reflects an ambition to connect disciplines, geographies and communities within today's contemporary art landscape. For visitors, the fair offers an opportunity to look beyond the familiar names of Bali's art scene. Participating spaces include established Bali galleries alongside independent art spaces and galleries from Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Malang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Barcelona and the United States. Running alongside the fair is What The Body Remembers , a major exhibition bringing together artists, designers and s...

Made Budhiana - Image Credit: Tatkala.co One of Bali's Great Voices of Abstraction The Balinese art community has lost one of its most respected painters. Made Budhiana passed away in 2026, leaving behind a remarkable body of work that helped shape contemporary art in Bali for more than four decades. His paintings challenged expectations of what Balinese art could be, proving that the island's artistic identity extends far beyond traditional subjects and familiar imagery. Born in Denpasar in 1959, Budhiana belonged to a generation of artists who embraced change while remaining deeply connected to the creative spirit of Bali. After studying at the Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Yogyakarta, he developed a distinctive abstract language that became recognised both throughout Indonesia and internationally. While many artists are remembered for a single style or signature image, Budhiana will be remembered for something more enduring. He never stopped searching. His paintings were ali...

For nearly five decades, Pesta Kesenian Bali has served as the island’s largest annual celebration of arts and culture. Returning from 13 June to 11 July 2026, the 48th edition once again transforms Denpasar into the centre of Bali’s cultural calendar, bringing together thousands of artists, performers, musicians, craftspeople, and cultural practitioners from across the island. ( NOW! Bali ) Held primarily at the Bali Art Centre (Taman Werdhi Budaya), the month-long festival presents an expansive program of performances, exhibitions, workshops, competitions, cultural dialogues, and traditional parades. More than a showcase, Pesta Kesenian Bali functions as a living platform for the preservation, development, and transmission of Balinese culture across generations. ( hub.ekraf.go.id ) The 2026 theme, Atma Kerthi: Jiwa Sidha Parisudha (Honouring the Perfect Soul), places emphasis on reflection, spiritual balance, and the role of culture in nurturing human values. Through dance, music, vi...

As Bali’s contemporary art scene continues to mature, Ubud Open Studios has established itself as one of the island’s most important artist-led events. Returning from 5–7 June 2026, the fifth edition invites the public into more than 60 working studios across Ubud and Gianyar, offering a rare opportunity to experience art at its source. Image courtesy of Ubud Open Studio Website Unlike traditional exhibitions, Ubud Open Studios shifts the focus away from finished works and towards the environments, processes, and conversations that shape them. Visitors are encouraged to explore a diverse range of practices, from painting and ceramics to photography, printmaking, design, architecture, and contemporary craft, while engaging directly with the artists behind the work. This year’s theme, Roots and Routes: Every Door a Discovery, reflects the growing diversity of Bali’s creative community. The event highlights both the cultural foundations that continue to influence artistic practice and th...

The 7 Types of Gallery in Bali. And Why Most Visitors Never Find the Real One By Gede Austana In Bali the word “Gallery” is one of the most commonly used English words for a business but can also be very misleading depending on what you're looking for. As a word describing a room/space used to showcase something then yes, it is accurate…to a degree. But if you're an art lover looking for actual art then it can be hugely frustrating as and a disappointment to your Bali experience. I have travelled the island to understand the art ecosystem and as a result, this is how I have come to categorize the many types of galleries that exist here. There have been days when I have spent 6-8hrs travelling in the tropical sun using Google maps as my guide and if I’m lucky then I have a 20% success rate. This success is not in finding art, it’s just finding an open, accurately placed location which operates with some kind of art in mind. Obviously, this is not ideal for visitors with time res...

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’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 ...

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 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 ...

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...

  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...

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...

With more than 200 events, standout exhibitions, and rising artistic talent, 2025 cemented Bali’s place as a leading force in Indonesian contemporary art. The year 2025 marked a remarkable chapter for Bali’s art landscape. Despite global and national turbulence, the island’s creative pulse not only endured — it thrived. Bali’s art community demonstrated its signature resilience, innovation, and collaborative spirit, reinforcing its position as one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic cultural hubs. This year, more than 200 art events were recorded through Bali Art Guide, averaging 15 new group or solo exhibitions opening each month . The sheer volume alone signals a thriving ecosystem, but it was the quality and ambition of the programming that truly defined 2025. Standout highlights included the ever-expanding Ubud Open Studios, the landmark retrospective “50 Years of Apel Hendrawan,” the sweeping curatorial narrative of “Parallel Legacies in Flux” at UAG, and the celebratory USK Bali an...

Urban Sketchers Bali marks its 13th anniversary with an expansive exhibition that celebrates sketching as both an art form and a method of witnessing daily life. Featuring 111 artists, the show brings together 331 sketches, 90 sketchbooks, and 19 international sketchbook pedestals responding to the theme Sketsa Nusantara. These works portray Indonesia in all its contrasts—Jakarta’s relentless bustle, Ubud’s meditative quiet, the textures of street food stalls, the elegance of fine dining, and the coexistence of slums and elite spaces. The exhibition intentionally presents sketches without frames, preserving the immediacy and authenticity that define the Urban Sketchers ethos. Each work is a direct response to a moment, a place, and a lived experience, forming a collective journal of Indonesia’s diverse urban and cultural landscape. Urban Sketching has evolved from centuries of human mark-making, transforming the sketch from a preparatory tool into a complete artwork. This anniversary s...

Set to take place from October 3–5, 2025, at JIExpo Kemayoran, Art Jakarta is gearing up for what promises to be Indonesia’s most anticipated art fair. With 75 notable galleries hailing from 16 countries, the fair has cemented its position as an organizer playing an increasingly vital role in Southeast Asia’s art world. The 2025 edition signals a strong global commitment, securing major names like the prominent European gallery Esther Schipper, Tina Keng Gallery, and Kaikai Kiki, the art institution founded by renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. But beyond the impressive roster, the heart of the fair lies in the testimonials of the exhibitors, whose motivations reveal Art Jakarta's unique power as a platform for connection and dialogue. The Irresistible Draw of Jakarta For international exhibitors, Art Jakarta serves as a crucial entry point to the dynamic Southeast Asian audience. A representative from Kaikai Kiki Gallery, which is based in Tokyo and represents a mixture of...

“What is Balinese art?” At first glance, the answer seems obvious. The phrase conjures images of intricate paintings, barong masks, stone temple carvings, or dancers frozen in stylized poses. Yet this apparent clarity is deceptive. The very category of “Balinese art” is not timeless or neutral, but historically shaped, politically constructed, and deeply entangled with the gaze of outsiders. Sida Karya by i Wayan Sudarmayasa Traditionally, creative expression in Bali was inseparable from ritual and community. Art was not an autonomous field but a branch of devotion. Paintings illustrated sacred epics for temple pavilions, masks embodied spirits for performance, and textiles clothed both gods and humans. These objects were rarely signed, often ephemeral, and valued for their spiritual efficacy rather than artistic “innovation.” To call such practices “art” at all is already a translation into Western categories. The notion of “Balinese art” crystallized during the colonial era. In the 1...