Interview
Made Palguna
Made was born in Ubud, Bali, but currently lives and works in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
He received his Bachelor’s degree in visual arts from the Indonesia Institute of Art (ISI), Yogyakarta. He also studied modern art painting at the Senior High School of Art, Denpasar.
A versatile artist, Made’s distinctive style appears in his paintings, sculptures, and other three-dimensional objects, installation art, performance art, and murals.
Made has exhibited extensively in Indonesia and abroad, and has been invited to various workshops, fellowships, and residency programs, most recently at Muong’s Cultural Museum, Vietnam (2012).
He is a two-time finalist of the Philip Morris Art Awards (2011, 2012) and in 2002, was a finalist at the Indofood Art Awards.
What is your background and how did you start your journey?
“I’ve loved art since I was a child. I learned how to paint from my father, who is a well-known Balinese traditional painter. My father supported me a lot. After graduating from the Senior High School of Art, I chose to learn more modern and contemporary art, and so enrolled at the Indonesia Instute of Art in Yogyakarta. All in all, I’ve been involved with art for half of my life.”
What inspires you most?
“There are a lot of things that inspire me. I love to read, watch movies, and listen to music. Some of my ideas come from those things that I love to do as they stimulate my sense of art.
Sometimes, reading an artist’s biography inspires me to develop my art more.
My environment also has a lot of influence on my art, especially our Balinese culture and the way it has resisted modern interference.”
“I see myself as an artist who helps to create a colorful life.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“My artwork tries to visualize what surrounds me. I use the form as a means to critique or even make a satirical joke. The figure or form becomes the symbol that I want to visualize. Every one of my artworks has a different message.
I don’t just paint. I use different materials to visualize my ideas. For some ideas, I create a sculpture. For others, I prefer installation art or print making.”
How would you describe your work?
“Every artist’s works has their unique style, character, and color. I would say that the special character that helps identify my work is the uniqueness of the figure and the nose.”
Which artists influence you most?
“A lot of artists influence me, but my favorite artists are Picasso, Joan Miro, and Henri Rousseau. I love their use of color, the stroke, their line, and their life as an artist.”
What is your creative process like?
“For artwork like sculpture and installation, I have to make careful calculations with regard to the material and setting. I usually do some research first on the material and how to install it, because every detail will affect the artwork when it is being shown.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“An artist is a part of the society. They become a leader of change. With art, we can influence the culture, trend, and economic movement of the society.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“My artworks all tell a different story and serve their unique purpose.
I held a solo show in 2008 about water. It was called Water Rite. At the exhibition, I explored the water that gives us life. In Bali, we also believe in the power of holy water, so for the exhibition I collected eleven bottles of holy water from different temples. That was special moment.
In 2019, I made a light installation for a group exhibition, shown below. I made a form of a Balinese shrine using LED light. I called it ‘GOD is Above’.”
Website: www.palguna.com
Instagram: @palgunamade
