Made Wiguna Valasara’s Collective Fragment series present the quintessential Balinese artistic expressions found in Batuan paintings, focusing on key visual elements like religious rituals, landscapes, flora and fauna, and the intricate fabric of Balinese society and its ritual traditions. Through the dense and intricate Batuan style, Valasara captures the profound communal essence of Bali, prompting reflection on his own identity as an artist within such a tightly knit society. Additionally, Valasara offers critical insights, challenging the objectification of Bali as merely an exotic locale, thus inviting viewers to contemplate deeper layers of its cultural richness and complexity.
Made Wiguna Valasara, born in 1983 in Sukawati, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia, completed his artistic studies at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts in Yogyakarta in 2007, specialising in painting and sculpture. Immersed in the arts, Valasara’s perspective on canvas expanded after participating in a residency program in Badung, where he began to view canvas not merely as a medium but as a platform for innovative expression. Renowned for his distinctive stuffed canvas technique, Valasara’s oeuvre encompasses a wide range of subjects, from reinterpreting traditional Balinese painting to appropriating styles from the Renaissance and modern periods. His recent works delve into pressing social and cultural issues in Bali, challenging the boundaries of Balinese painting with his experimental approach and multidimensional exploration.
Valasara’s artistic journey has been marked by numerous group exhibitions across Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and Taipei. His works have earned him accolades, including the Public Vote Prize at the Sovereign Asian Art Prize 2020, finalist positions in the UOB Painting of the Year (2012) and Indonesian Art Award (2010), and recognition as the Best Painting at the 23rd Anniversary of ISI Yogyakarta in 2007. In 2011, Valasara served as artist-in-residence at Selasar Sunaryo Artspace in Bandung, further solidifying his position as a trailblazing force in Balinese and Indonesian contemporary art.
Selected Exhibitions
2024 – Aotearoa Art Fair, Redbase, Auckland, New Zealand
2024 – Cross of the Matter, Redbase, Sydney, Australia
2023 – Cosmic Construct, 13A New Street Art Gallery, Hong Kong
2022 – Carousel, YIRI ARTS, Taipei, Taiwan
2021 – Collective Fragment, presented by Bale, Art Agenda, Jakarta, Indonesia
2016 – Playing Balinese, presented by Equator Art Project, Art Stage Singapore
2015 – Lukisan Lukisan, Art:1 Art Space, Jakarta, Indonesia
2015 – Art Fair Philippines, presented by Equator Art Project, Manila, Philippines
