Episode 10: Citra Sasmita – Hacking stories, unraveling myths, and empowering women artists
For the longest time, art and storytelling have gone hand in hand. From caveman drawings, myths, folklore, and architecture, the stories passed down for generations, from our parents, grandparents, and ancestors, are testaments to human history and become a shared language that changes and adapts through passing time. Our stories never leave us. In this conversation, I’m joined by Balinese artist, illustrator, and storyteller Citra Sasmita. We spoke about her process of ‘hacking’ traditional stories and unraveling the myths and misconceptions of Balinese art and culture. We also reflected on her experiences, thoughts, and struggles of being a woman artist in Bali. Tune in for more!
About Citra Sasmita
Citra Sasmita is a contemporary artist who lives and works in Bali, Indonesia. She has a background in physics and literature and works primarily with paintings, sculptures and installations that critically examines traditional gender hierarchy and the role of women within Indonesian society. Citra is deeply invested in questioning a woman’s place in the social hierarchy and seeks to upend the normative construct of gender.
One of her long-term projects, Timur Merah Project; Harbor of Restless Spirits offers a reflection on the traditional Balinese Kamasan painterly language that Citra has been developing in her practice. It represents a geography of female figures, fires, and various natural elements, composed whimsically in an unfolding of pansexual energy. While rooted in mythological thinking with Hindu and Balinese-specific references, the scenes are equally part of the contemporary process of imagining a secular and empowered mythology for a post-patriarchal future.
Find out more at art.citrasasmita.com
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.