Wayan Aris Sarmanta

The young and emerging artist, Wayan Aris Sarmanta, has many things to share about life through his works. Born and bred in Batuan, he presents his dreams and imaginings through vibrant details and bright colors, painted in the traditional Batuan style which has been given some contemporary touches, setting his works to be extraordinary. With his own strong characteristics, it’s a no wonder he was just awarded the Titian Prize 2018, an acknowledgement which is given to promising Balinese artists. His works are now displayed at Titian Art Gallery until February 25 and Griya Art Gallery until February 28.
How did you become an artist?
My initial interest in art, especially in painting, was when I saw my grandfather’s paintings. Seeing I had some talent, my grandfather taught me to paint in the Batuan style. For my formal education, I attended High School of Arts in Sukawati. I then continued my studies at the Institute of Teacher Training and Education PGRI in Denpasar, majoring in art education.
You are working on a traditional style. Is there any modern twist invested in your works?
The modern touch in my work is evident from the use of modern and contemporary coloring techniques which are bright and flat.
The characteristics of your paintings?
My paintings are all in the Batuan style, with some developments through contemporary coloring techniques. Besides the colors, my works are also surreal, inspired by dreams and imagination.
Your work won the Titian Prize 2018 recently. What is that all about?
The work I presented portrayed a family portrait which consists of a father, a mother and a child. Here, I visualize the mountain as the father and the hill as the child, while the mother is visualized by the lake and the cliff. In this work, we can see a father and a mother dive into the lake and fight for the sake of their child, while on the lotus flower, sits a figure which represents the god of all children. In the lake, we can also see that there are many lotuses and fish. In a nutshell, this work reminds us about mother nature and its contents; the humans, animals and plants which need one another.
How about your work displayed in Griya Santrian Art?
This work is about how the lifestyle changes with the change of time. Lifestyle, ways of thinking and others have affected people’s lives nowadays. I visualize it through our daily activity which is bathing. In the past, boys and men were happy enough to bathe in the river without being embarrassed. Now, everything has changed as the technology has become sophisticated. People’s ways of thinking have changed, defeated by prestige. Not only women, men also often show off their wealth and luxury lifestyle. Here, it’s portrayed by the figure who enjoys his life by bathing in a bathtub.