Artist Talk: Citra Sasmita in conversation with Lotte Johnson

Citra Sasmita will talk about the Indonesian tradition of Kamasan painting in relation to her work. She will also be in conversation with Lotte Johnson, who curated the exhibition Citra Sasmita: Into Eternal Land at The Curve in London.

This conversation will be followed by a drinks reception.

The event is free to attend but you must register for a ticket.

The event will be followed by an additional talk on February 4, 2025, at the Barbican, where Sasmita and Johnson will delve deeper into the inspiration behind the exhibition. Details can be found at barbican.org.uk.

About the artist:

A self-taught artist born in Bali in 1990, Citra Sasmita is interested in questioning women's place within the social hierarchy, and seeks to challenge the normative construction of gender. As she engages with Kamasan painting, an Indonesian technique traditonally practiced by men, she unravels myths and misconceptions surrounding Balinese art and culture.
In 2024, Citra Sasmita's work was shown at the 3rd Thailand Bienniale, the 35th São Paulo Biennale, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale in Saudi Arabia, and the Sydney Bienniale, among other exhibitions. Her solo exhibition opens at The Curve, in London, on 30 January.

About the interviewer:

Lotte Johnson is Curator at the Barbican Art Gallery, London, where she is curating Citra Sasmita's forhcoming exhibition Into Eternal Land. At the Barbican, she has curated Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art (2024) and Carolee Schneemann: Body Politics (2022), as well as solo commissions by artists Toyin Ojih Odutola (2020), SERAFINE1369 (2019), Yto Barrada (2018) and Bedwyr Williams (2016). She has contributed to several other Barbican exhibitions including Into the Night: Cabarets and Clubs in Modern Art (2019), Basquiat: Boom for Real (2017) and The World of Charles and Ray Eames (2015). She previously worked as a curatorial assistant at The Museum of Modern Art, New York. A regular contributor to exhibition catalogues, she also lectures and presents on modern and contemporary art.

Image credit: Timur Merah Project XII: River With No End, commission artwork Diriyah Biennale, 9 old antique pillars (size between 150 cm -200 cm) 8 meters embroidery scrolls, 20 embroidery flags, 2023 Diriyah Biennale, Riyadh Saudi Arabia, 2024, Image by Marco Cappelletti.

Timur Merah Project I: Embrace of My Motherland, commission artwork Biennale Jogja. 5 panels painting acrylic in Kamasan Traditional canvas 90 cm x 400 cm, turmeric powder, wooden carving, spies pouch made with antique Kamasan painting, 2019 Biennale Jogja 2019 Do we live in the same playground? Image by Citra Sasmita.

Timur Merah Project IX: Beyond The Realm of Senses commission, artwork Sao paulo Biennale painting installation, acrylic color in Kamasan traditional canvas, 90 cm x 30000 cm , wooden hanger carving, gold painted fiber statue, 2023 Sao Paulo Biennale, Brazil, Choreography of Impossible. Image by Citra Sasmita.