Asia
Citra Sasmita
Timur Merah Project II; The Harbor of Restless Spirit
2019
Timur Merah Project II; The Harbor of Restless Spirit, 2019
The work Timur Merah Project 2, the harbour of restless spirit is stretched out on a full cow’s hide, replicates the Kamasan Balinese painterly language that Citra Sasmita has developed in her recent works. It represents female figures, flames, and various natural elements, permutating whimsically in a narrative of pansexual energy. While rooted in mythological thinking, with specifically Hindu and Balinese references, the scenes are equally part of a contemporary process of imagining a secular and empowered mythology for a post-patriarchal future.
Artist Citra Sasmita’s work is inscribed with originality in a pan-Asian effort to revisit traditional artistic languages as tools of expression in contemporary society. Sasmita’s works thus use the vibrant and thriving genealogy of Balinese traditional painting, Kamasan, to express avowedly feminist perspectives. Born in Tabanan, Bali in 1990, Sasmita’s family are performing artists who often perform from village to village in Hindu ritual ceremonies. Having studied both literature and physics before going into theatre and illustration, her work is informed by these diverse fields of knowledge and their influence on her work process in formulating ideas and social issues is evident.