Tokyo, March 2026 – Mizuma Art Gallery is delighted to announce Ari Bayuaji’s participation at Art Basel Hong Kong 2026’s Encounters section. Dedicated to large-scale projects that transcend the traditional gallery booth, Encounters returns as a central sector of Art Basel Hong Kong, under the leadership of a new curatorial team comprising both institutional and independent curators, led by Mami Kataoka, alongside Isabella Tam, Alia Swastika, and Hirokazu Tokuyama. The 2026 edition will present 12 artworks, guided by a curatorial vision that draws on the Five Elements—a cosmological framework widely found in Asia, with each element (space/ether, water, fire, wind and earth) designated to specific areas throughout the convention halls.
Originally trained as a civil engineer in Indonesia, Ari Bayuaji (b. 1975, Mojokerto, Indonesia) is renowned for his art installations that incorporate materials collected from the coast as well as ready-made objects, engaging with culture narratives, historical memory, and pressing environmental concerns. His works have been exhibited worldwide, with major solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Singapore, Taipei, Ste-Alvère, Düsseldorf, Sydney, Bangkok, Washington, D.C., and Toronto, and are part of the permanent collections of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal and the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec.
In 2020, Bayuaji founded Weaving the Ocean, an ongoing community-driven art project born from his discovery of plastic ropes entangled in the roots of mangrove trees near Sanur, Bali. Collaborating with Balinese artisans, he transformed discarded plastic into vibrant threads, weaving them into intricate textiles. The project has since evolved into a platform for sustainable income and education, engaging over 15 individuals across multiple regions. Bayuaji has also led workshops in Sydney, Montreal, and Busan, teaching the process of repurposing plastic materials into art.
At Encounters, Ari will showcase a captivating selection of large-scale textiles made from woven plastic threads collected from the ocean. Mizuma Art Gallery presents Bayuaji’s diverse expressions where nature, tradition, and sustainability converge in a thought-provoking and resilient narrative.
Weaving the Ocean by Ari Bayuaji is presented by Mizuma Art Gallery at Level 1, Encounters EN5, Art Basel Hong Kong. The fair will run from 25 to 29 March 2026, with VIP days and Vernissage on 25 & 26 March. Public days will be from 27 to 29 March 2026. Art Basel Hong Kong will take place at Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. For more information about the fair opening hours and ticketing, please visit: https://www.artbasel.com/hong-kong/
