(Ubud, Bali – November 2021) Komaneka Fine Art Gallery is excited to invite their roster of Bali-based artists to “check-in” and work inside at the Gallery space in the ‘Living in Gallery’ program. Komaneka Fine Art Gallery was founded by Koman Suteja in 1998 and its mission is to showcase the richness of Indonesian art with a focus on emerging and established Balinese painters.

Koman Suteja and his wife Mansri Trisniawati started this ‘Living in Gallery’ after the Covid-19 lockdown that restricted the gallery from opening to the public. It affected the artists as well because it halted their exhibition plans. Because the Gallery had to close, Koman says it “brought back memories to the original ideas of the space in the gallery and why it was created. Why don’t we invite the artists to use the Gallery?”

‘Living in Galery’ program invites artists to ‘reside’ and create in the Gallery’s second floor, which is 200m2 wide. The artist is allowed a total of 24 hours to work, which can be split into different days. Because each artist has different styles and processes, they are able to customize the space to look like their studio, play the music they want and have the gallery open or closed to the public.

Each artist was briefed beforehand so they came to the Gallery with a set of ideas specifically, which excited the artists because the lockdown halted a lot of their projects and exhibitions. The artists responded well to the initiative as it gave them a good challenge that pushed them to do something different during this pandemic.

After the artist’s ‘residency’ at the Gallery, the paintings are displayed in the gallery space. Once a month Koman’s wife Mansri arranges ‘The Artist Lunch’ which allows art lovers, connoisseurs and collectors to come together to the Gallery, admire the art, talk to the artist personally and have lunch together at Komaneka Rasa Sayang.

Each ‘Living in Gallery’ session will utilize the technology and showcase the gallery digitally. The Gallery website will be updated with new paintings every month and the process will be recorded live on social media.

The purpose of this program is close to Koman’s heart. “I was born in a family who are very close to art and the center of the Indonesian art movement. It started from my grandparents, I Wayan Neka, who was a sculptor and my father, Wayan Suteja Neka, who was the patron of modern art in Indonesia.

My father invited a lot of Indonesian master artists to live in Ubud, rent them a house and work closely together with my father Wayan Suteja Neka. I met all of the master Indonesian artists which is a special opportunity. With this program, I want to share the experience of working closely with artists of my generation.”

List of Artist and Schedule

I WAYAN SUDARNA PUTRA NANO – JULY 2021

I WAYAN SUJANA SUKLU – AUGUST 2021

I NYOMAN SUJANA KENYEM – SEPTEMBER 2021

I PUTU SUDIANA BONUZ – OCTOBER 2021

I MADE MAHENDRA MANGKU – NOVEMBER 2021

I MADE ARYA PALGUNA – DECEMBER 2021

I WAYAN  JANUARIAWAN DONAL –  2022

I NENGAH SUJENA – 2022

I WAYAN SUJA – 2022

I KETUT SUWIDIARTA – 2022

I WAYAN SADU – 2022

I MADE SUMADIYASA – 2022