Putu Sutawijaya

(b. 1970, Angseri, Bali)

Putu Sutawijaya is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, sculpture, and performance. Rooted in Bali’s rich spiritual and artistic traditions, his work bridges ritual heritage with the dynamic sensibilities of contemporary art. His artistic journey began in his teenage years, when he illustrated novel covers, an early training ground that sharpened his skills and instilled discipline. While studying, he further developed a pragmatic understanding of art’s dual nature—presenting works to small galleries in Bali during semester breaks and learning to balance creative vision with the demands of the market. Graduating from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Yogyakarta in 1998, he refined an artistic language that would become uniquely his own.

Sutawijaya’s distinctive visual vocabulary is fuelled by qi—a vital force resonant with the expressive energy of classical Chinese calligraphy. Interwoven with the spiritual and tribal rituals of Balinese culture, this energy manifests in bold, confident brushstrokes, often executed with the intensity of India ink. His works embody a universal yearning for harmony, navigating the tensions between order and chaos, while positioning humanity as a central conduit for cosmic forces and spiritual inquiry.

A defining moment in Sutawijaya’s career came when his painting Looking for Wings (2002) achieved a record sale at Sotheby’s in 2007. This milestone—revered as the “May 2007 Incident”—marked not only his breakthrough but also a turning point in the global recognition of Indonesian contemporary art. Today, he maintains studios in both Yogyakarta and Bali, drawing inspiration from their contrasting energies to continuously expand his prolific and influential body of work.