Citra Sasmita's Mythological Critiques at Bienal de São Paulo and Beyond
Citra Sasmita, a Balinese artist, reinterprets traditional stories through her expansive installations. At the Bienal de São Paulo, her piece Allegory of Archipelago (2023) showcases a nine-metre canvas that explores a tripartite cosmology while critiquing the violence of colonialism. A golden statue of a kneeling Caucasian man symbolizes the actions of Dutch colonizers in 1908. Sasmita employs traditional methods, such as Balinese Kamasan painting, to confront patriarchal histories. In her ongoing Timur Merah series, she replaces conventional themes, exemplified by Theatre of The Doom (2023), which depicts nude female figures undergoing violent transformations. Influences include Dewa Agung Istri Kanya and I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih. She has upcoming shows at the Thailand Biennale (9 Dec - 30 Apr) and the Biennale of Sydney (9 Mar - 10 Jun).
Key facts
- Citra Sasmita is a Balinese artist.
- Her installation Allegory of Archipelago (2023) is showing at the Bienal de São Paulo.
- The work includes a nine-metre canvas and a golden statue referencing colonial history.
- She uses traditional Balinese Kamasan painting techniques subversively.
- Her Timur Merah series reimagines traditional narratives with female-centered cosmologies.
- A key inspiration is warrior-poet queen Dewa Agung Istri Kanya (ruled 1814-1850).
- She cites painter I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih as an influence.
- Her work will appear at the Thailand Biennale in Chiang Rai and the Biennale of Sydney.
Entities
Artists
- Citra Sasmita
- I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih
- Dewa Agung Istri Kanya
Institutions
- Bienal de São Paulo
- Thailand Biennale
- Biennale of Sydney
- Klungkung kingdom
- Majapahit Empire
- Kerta Gosa
Locations
- Bali
- Indonesia
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Chiang Rai
- Thailand
- Sydney
- Australia
- Kamasan
- Klungkung
- Gunung Agung
- Kusamba
- East Java