The Art Talks at Ubud Open Studios 2025

Art doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it lives in context, community & conversation. The 2025 Ubud Opon Studios Art Talks were held at the BIASA ArtSpace on Thursday, 22 May 2025, a day before the studio doors opened.

UOS Art Talks bring artists, curators, makers, and gallerists together in one space to share stories, exchange insights, and explore what’s next for Ubud’s dynamic creatives. This year, the talks were all moderated by Wicitra Pradnyaratih, an emerging curator , artist and advisor to Ubud Open Studios.

We started the day with a special session with our featured artist of the 2025 edition of UOS, NPAAW. What does it mean to honor tradition while creating something entirely new? At first glance, it’s spray paint, tape, and bold design. But look closer—NPAAW's art is woven with deeper layers, from Poleng cloth to Rangrang tapestry, pulling his heritage into the present moment. His work also formed the backdrop for the 2025 Art Talks.

One session was with noted curator Farah Wardani, who talked about her project Skena 2000. Skena 2000 maps the shifting landscape in the contemporary Indonesian art scene since the fall of the New Order. Farah explored the dynamics of the Indonesian contemporary arts’ Generation 2000’s rise and decline of artistic risk, emergence of artist-run spaces, and how audiences have evolved from passive viewers to active participants shaping the discourse

Another session was Contemporary Bali featuring Ines Katomso, Ruth Onduku and Wayan Upadana. Two innovative contemporary artists, Ines and Wayan, whose experimental works weave environment and tradition into new forms were joined by a key figure behind Bali’s creative scene to unpack where the island stands in Indonesia’s evolving contemporary art world.

The fourth session was Print Matters presented by Ruang Arta Derau. What do zines, risograph, and artist collectives have in common? They’re reshaping how Indonesia tells stories locally and globally. It’s not just print—it’s punk, it’s poetry, it’s politics—it’s tactile publishing in the digital era. The discussion featured printmaker Agugn, designer Janur Rianto and artist Gilang Propagila.