Ubud’s art infrastructure continues to grow while distinguishing the area as Bali’s art and cultural heartland. Constantly progressing as new initiatives and the culmination of planning and hard work manifests into physical form, exciting new venues grant opportunities to the Balinese, Indonesian and foreign communities, not only economically but also by inspiring creativity and developing human potential. The recent addition of new galleries, artist retreats and residency programs contribute fresh energy to the unique global village that Ubud is historically famous for.
DALAM SENIMAN
There is a void in the number of contemporary fine art galleries supporting local and international emerging artists in Ubud via regular exhibition programs. Therefore, it is good news to announce the recent opening of Dalam Seniman, a new Contemporary Art Space in the centre of Ubud, Bali, located in Jalan Sri Wedari, opposite Seniman Coffee.
Housed in a renovated industrial furniture store, Dalam Seniman aims to challenge and provoke audiences by addressing the wide range of social and political issues facing us all. Dalam Seniman’s inaugural exhibition, EVERYPUNK HAPPENS TO EVERYTHING!, opened on 23 March 2024. A solo exhibition of printing works by well-known local activist Gilang Propagila attracted a vast and enthusiastic audience. Gilang’s fresh and vibrant screen prints with in-your-face punk-inspired imagery and social messages are on display until 3 May 2024. The event will culminate with an artist’s talk on 30 March. An artist tour of the exhibition and a curators’ discussion highlighted some of the exhibition’s activities.
Open daily 9am – 9pm.
Instagram: @dalam_seniman
DESA DESA
Nestled in the gorgeous, tranquil surroundings of Kedewatan, 10 minutes north of Ubud DESA, the Artist-In-Residence Program cultivates a community of care and curiosity ideal for creative expression. Founded by artists, DESA actively encourages artistic practice, conversations, and reflection for positive global social impact. The DESA Artist-In-Residence Program supports expanded practices and artistic research by people of diverse backgrounds and disciplines, being an instrument to generate further engagement, collaboration, and cultural exchange in the Southeast Asian region.
Featuring two spacious, fully self-contained private residences with studios, this welcoming environment provides the perfect ambience for a single artist or one accompanied by a family. DESA partners with arts organisations in Australia, including Gertrude Contemporary and Craft in Melbourne, and within Indonesia with ROH, Jakarta, and Nonfrasa, Bali. These relationships provide cultural exchange and reciprocity through studio residencies and exhibition outcomes.
The DESA month-long residency program invites individual and collaborative proposals from international applicants. Desa encourages experimental and curious artistic research endeavours to apply.
Website: www.desaresidency.com
Instagram: @d_e_s_a_d_e_s_a
TABAH UBUD ARTIST’S RETREAT
Tabah Ubud’s artistic retreat, located beneath the Tantra family home on Jalan Tirta Tawar just north of Ubud, forms part of the broader development of Tabah Ubud. The two spacious, fully contained apartments with studio spaces are the perfect locale to allow the time and space for creatives to focus. The luxury studio interiors are distinguished by a selection of Balinese and Javanese mid-century furniture in Studio 1. In Studio 2, wood and stone elements represent traditional materials, and the black and green colour scheme symbolises the rich, fertile volcanic soil of the Karangasem regency.
The studios have been designed with creatives and yoga practitioners in mind. They feature large outdoor terraces that may be used for painting, writing, yoga, or simply as a space to relax, reflect on the lush tropical green valley, and re-energise to the sounds of the river below.
Tabah Ubud has created a nurturing, inspiring space where individuals can embark on personal and creative projects supported by their vast network of Balinese and artistic friends ready to assist guests wanting to explore, experience, and conduct research on the island.
www.tabahubud.com
Instagram: @tabahubud
RUANG ARTA DERAU
RUANGARTA DERAU (RAD) is a new ceramic studio and artist-in-residency venue in rice fields twenty minutes north of Ubud in Tegalalang. Initiated by Indonesian contemporary artist Sekar Puti Sidhiawati, ARTA DERAU initially operated in Bandung and was on its first site in Tegalalang in 2014 and 2018, respectively, before the conceptualization of RAD. The sprawling two-story complex features modern architectural designs by Hermawan Dasmanto from Surabaya, giving birth to ARTA DERAU’s philosophies in physical form.
The venue contains Puti’s studio and production space, her husband, contemporary printmaker Agung ‘Agugn’ Prabowo’s studio/exhibition space, and two fully self-contained apartments with studio spaces for their upcoming artist-in-residency program. The building can enhance visitors’ and live-in artists’ creative experience through its usual design features. Dedicated to supporting the Balinese and Indonesian art communities, RAD’s creative program includes exhibitions, collaborations and an artist-in-residency programs.
Upcoming exhibitions are ‘I’ll Promise’, a solo show by Mriz Sidah, the last guest artist of the ARTA DERAU residency program open 14 May – 17th June 2024 followed by ‘Tegallalang Finesse’, a group show by artists from Tegallalang, open from 29th June – 31 August 2024.
Follow RAD on Instagram to keep updated with the news.
Instagram: @artaderau
THE GALLERY OF TROPICAL SURREALISM
The Bali-based veteran British surrealist painter Bruce Sherratt opened his smaller gallery, THE GALLERY OF TROPICAL SURREALISM, in addition to his existing gallery, the Bali Center for Artistic Creativity (BCAC), in Andong, Ubud, on 10 April 2024. The gallery features oil paintings on canvas and smaller works on paper in Sherratt’s compelling visual style.
The well-known international art educator’s creative process involves exploring themes and ideas with pure liquid pigments on wet paper (wet on wet) to produce highly expressive forms, shapes, and harmonizations in vivid colours. This smaller-scale work will be featured and presented for the first time at the new gallery, together with a few large-scale canvases.
Call in and meet Bruce, learn more about his art, and be informed by his extraordinary knowledge of art history and techniques while enjoying art videos on a large screen in air-conditioned comfort. Bruce also offers creative courses in various artistic techniques, including Rudolf Steiner’s colour theory, at BCAC. THE GALLERY OF TROPICAL SURREALISM is located near Delta Dewata supermarket Jalan Raya Andong, Ubud.
Open daily 10am – 5pm.
For evening viewing contact Nita WA +62 812 39489282 or Bruce WA +62 812 465 27362.
www.baliartclassess.com
Instagram: @brucesherrattpaintings
Richard Horstman
NOW! Bali Art Columnist, Richard Horstman. For over fifteen years Richard has been contributing to national and regional newspapers and magazines writing about art and culture. He is passionate about observing and reporting on developments in the local art and creative infrastructure, and the exciting emerging talent that is flourishing in Bali. IG: @lifeasartasia
