Aris Sarmanta
Aris Sarmanta
(b. 1995, Bali)
Aris Sarmanta is a contemporary Balinese artist who lives and works in Bali. Born and raised in Batuan, a village renowned for its rich artistic heritage, Sarmanta was first introduced to painting in elementary school by his grandfather, the late I Regug, a traditional painter. This early exposure laid the foundation for his lifelong engagement with art. Grounded in the Batuan painting tradition, Sarmanta has continued to explore, innovate, and push creative boundaries. His works reinterpret the classical techniques of sigar mangsi (strong ink outlines) and ngabur (ink shading), infusing them with vivid color palettes and striking contrasts. This experimental approach offers an alternative perspective on Batuan painting, long regarded as rigid or overly formal.
Sarmanta’s compositions often veer toward the surreal, populated by cartoon-like figures and expressive faces that reflect the absurdity and uncertainty of the contemporary world. The dynamic interplay between objects and figures defies traditional compositional rules, creating a visual language that is both playful and thought-provoking. His paintings serve as commentary on the accelerating pace of modern life, offering symbols and narratives that question our perceptions of tradition, identity, and reality.
In 2018, he was awarded the TITian Prize, an honor given to outstanding young artists in Bali. That same year, he participated in a group exhibition titled "Bali – Welcome to Paradise" at the Museum Volkenkunde in Leiden, the Netherlands. In May 2019, he undertook his first artist residency, invited by All Saints’ College in Western Australia to join a residency and workshop program, culminating in the "Bali Residency Art Exhibition" at ASC Space in Perth. In 2021, he participated in the Bali Emerging Artists Exhibition held at Sika Gallery, Ubud, Bali.
Seri Lanskap Anom(B)ali, 2023 (1)
Petanu
60 x 40 cm
Ink, acrylic on canvas
Seri Lanskap Anom(B)ali, 2024 (2)
Pelangi Tanah Agung
85 x 68,5 cm
Ink, acrylic, oil pastel, copper and gold leaf on canvas
Seri Lanskap Anom(B)ali, 2025 (3)
Bukit Cinta
60 x 40 cm
Ink, acrylic and oil pastel on canvas
The Anom(B)ali Landscapes series merges representations of natural landscapes with visual, symbolic, and emotional anomalies—disturbances that challenge the perception of harmony. The title itself, Anom(B)ali, plays on the words “anomaly” and “Bali,” inviting layered interpretations that span aesthetic contemplation, sociocultural and touristic critique, and existential inquiries into the human–nature relationship.
This visual and narrative concept explores the tension between the beauty of Bali’s landscapes and the anomalies that disrupt them—foreign elements, uncanny presences, and symbolic distortions that unsettle expectations of harmony. These are landscapes that appear real but feel absurd, offering a kind of aesthetic distortion that is both discomforting and strangely alluring. They mirror a cultural dissonance, where nature and tradition are no longer passive backdrops, but casualties of an overly extractive human imagination.
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Timeline
2017
Rebirth, Titian Art Space, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
(First solo exhibition introducing Aris’ reinterpretation of the Batuan style into a more personal, contemporary visual form.)
2018
Bali – Welcome to Paradise, Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden, The Netherlands
2019
Bali Residency Art Exhibition, ASC Space, All Saints' College, Perth, Australia
2021
Bali Emerging Artists Exhibition, Sika Gallery, Ubud, Bali
present
Participates regularly in group exhibitions and art initiatives in Bali and Indonesia
ART RESIDENCIES & WORKSHOPS
2019 – Artist Residency & Workshop Program, All Saints' College, Western Australia
(Invited artist to participate in studio-based residency, student engagement, and culminating exhibition in Perth.)
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
2018 – TITian Prize 2018, Titian Foundation, Bali, Indonesia
(Awarded to outstanding young Balinese artists demonstrating innovation in visual arts.)