Richard Horstman

Three hundred and thirty-six blue and white cyanotype prints, 20 by 15cm, arranged floor to ceiling within a 6-meter-deep by 5-meter-wide alcove of the Jogja National Museum (JNM), distinguish *After Exotic 1931*, a contemporary art installation by Balinese printmaker Agung Pramana. Immediately captivating, Pramana’s visual formula pulsates. Reproduction archival images, Balinese sculptures of mythical creatures,

A blindfolded “fractured” skull is engulfed in flames, with both halves distinguished by text. ‘This Is All I Know’ is a confession of frustration and hopelessness in a vibrant pop-meets-street-art style. Painted by Balinese-German artist Gede Austana, it is an emotional response to the racial discrimination he often endures, and was a highlight of the

A secret to successfully conveying artistic ideas to an audience is the artist’s ability to economise their visual design language. “Less is more” is a creative philosophy that emphasises the value of austerity and minimalism. By reducing unnecessary elements in an art composition, the artist can achieve greater clarity and effectiveness in communication. One of

The rise of digital illustrators is a burgeoning phenomenon in the contemporary art and creative spheres of Bali and Indonesia. This was especially emphasised during the COVID pandemic when the global physical art infrastructure shut down and the virtual world flourished. Illustration is a powerful visual design language which distinguishes itself from fine art by

An artist’s voice, their unique style which identifies them among their peers, is an essential aspect of a successful artist. For an emerging artist, young, talented, sensitive, ambitious, and impressionable, the journey of self-discovery in discerning who they are, what, and how they wish to express their creativity can be extremely difficult to unearth. A

The avant-garde imagery of the Pop Art movement had a global impact and first emerged in the United Kingdom and the United States in the mid-1950s. Claes Oldenburg, a Swedish-born American Pop artist in 1961, penned a compelling manifesto, part of which reads, “I am for an art that is political-erotical-mystical, that does something other

The Bali art scene is a unique and rich tapestry. A layered, multi-tiered, ever-evolving hybrid of local and national fine artists, artisans, and visiting and expatriate internationals. Filippo Sciascia, an Italian contemporary artist, has resided in Ubud for over twenty-five years. His relentless curiosity about the human experience has led him on a captivating journey

An archival Black & White photograph dated 20 September, 1906, depicts a transport boat, part of the naval forces of the Sixth Military Expedition of the Royal Dutch East Indies Army, anchored offshore of Sanur, Bali. Colonial machines of war, equipment, soldiers, and horses disembark into landing vessels bound for Padang Galak beach.  Naval artillery

Bali is renowned for its rich traditional heritage and the exceptional creativity of its inhabitants. Its cultural icons blend nature’s offerings with human ingenuity, manifesting in sacred ritual implements, architecture, textiles, painting, sculpture and an array of implements for daily life. The island showcases human expression at the highest levels, with superb attention to detail,

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