Bali Now

A solo exhibition by I Nyoman Arisana

Curated by Hermanto Soerjanto

1 November – 7 December 2025

Vernissage: Saturday, 1 November 2025, 4pm – 7pm

Mizuma Gallery is proud to present Bali Now, I Nyoman Arisana’s first solo exhibition with the gallery, curated by Hermanto Soerjanto, opening on 1 November 2025. Growing from the aesthetics of tradition, the series of new paintings offer a reflection on how global influences and economic change shape life in Bali today.

About the exhibition

Bali has long been a place of negotiation between tradition and modernity. Since the 1930s, when European artists Rudolf Bonnet and Walter Spies introduced Western techniques through Pitamaha artist collective, which maintained the quality of Balinese art, evolving without losing its essence. Growing up in a family of artists, Arisana continues this trajectory, employing intricate methods such as sigar mangsi shading and bamboo brushwork on dense compositions of the traditional Batuan style, while introducing voids, vibrant colours, and unconventional placements that make his works unmistakably contemporary.

Arisana’s works finds mediation on cultural loss, commodification, and ecological strain felt in his immediate surroundings. His paintings critique the growing deviation from Tri Hita Karana, the Balinese Hindu principle of harmony between human, their god, and their surrounding nature. Konversi (Conversion) shows concrete pillars rising in forest greenery, while Tentang Air (About Water) recalls a once-vital river now polluted. His largest work, Mencari Tempat Baru (Searching for a New Place), imagines an ark filled with flora and fauna seeking refuge; a vision of nature’s fragile survival amidst unchecked development.

From afar, Arisana’s works might seem to echo scenes common in a Batuan style painting, yet up close they reveal cartoon-like figures inspired by Japanese manga that the artist consumes. This fusion of sacred technique and global pop culture captures the paradox of Bali today: a global destination shaped by tourism, yet evident of an unwavering integrity rooted in tradition. Even in small works like Berhenti Sejenak (Momentary Pause), Arisana’s fascinating details beckons and invites viewers to pause, reflect, and restore balance amidst the rush of contemporary life.

Bali Now, a solo exhibition by I Nyoman Arisana, curated by Hermanto Soerjanto, will run from 1 November to 7 December 2025 at Mizuma Gallery, 22 Lock Road #01-34 Gillman Barracks, Singapore 108939. The gallery will open from 11am – 7pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays, and 11am – 6pm on Sundays. The gallery will be closed on Mondays and Public Holidays. In conjunction with the launch of the exhibition, an opening reception will be held on Saturday, 1 November 2025, 4pm – 7pm. The exhibition and opening reception are free and are open to the public. To confirm your attendance, kindly RSVP at info@mizuma.sg. Additional information about this exhibition will be made available at later date on our Instagram page, @mizumaartgallery.

About the Artists

I Nyoman Arisana (b. 1989, Bali, Indonesia) came from a family of artists in Banjar Dauh Uma, Bitera, Gianyar, Bali — his grandfather is a painter, and his father is a wood carver and maker of barong masks. Since he was ten years old, he began studying traditional Balinese painting, creating works that depicted wayang themes, barong dance, traditional markets, and everyday lives of the Balinese people. In 2008, Arisana graduated from the Art Education programme of Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha (UNDIKSHA), Singaraja, Bali, and has since been actively participating in exhibitions. In 2017, Arisana was awarded the Titian Prize organised by Yayasan Titian Bali, and became one of the finalists of UOB Painting of the Year. I Nyoman Arisana lives and works in Bali, Indonesia.

About the Curator

Hermanto Soerjanto (b. 1970, Indonesia) went to Palin School of Arts & Design in Singapore and Akademi Teknik Desain Interior (ATDI) in Jakarta, Indonesia, before joining Cipta Citra advertising agency in 1994. Since then, he has built his career in the field of advertising and currently holds a position at Pantarei Communications as Chief Creative Officer. As an art collector, Hermanto Soerjanto is familiar with Indonesian artists, having spent much time conversing with them and visiting their studios. In 2008 he established GARIS Artspace, an art gallery in Jakarta showcasing works by contemporary Indonesian artists, where he organizes and curates the exhibitions on a regular basis. To date, Hermanto Soerjanto has organized several exhibitions, most notably Ethnicity Now, a group exhibition at Galeri Nasional Indonesia, Jakarta (2010), and Unveiling Fundamentals in Contemporary Art Through Asia at OHD Museum, Magelang, Indonesia (2015). Hermanto Soerjanto lives and works in Jakarta, Indonesia.

> Press Release

> E-Catalogue