TABANAN, balitourismnow.com – Nuanu Creative City in Tabanan, Bali, has become the inaugural venue for Art & Bali, a new annual art platform exploring the theme “What the Body Remembers.” Making an ambitious debut, the three-day event brings together artists, galleries, curators, and creative practitioners from Indonesia and around the world.
More than an art exhibition, Art & Bali is designed as a meeting point for creative expression, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and conversations about a more sustainable future. Nuanu Creative City, known for its experimental spaces and creative community, was selected as the first home for the event.
“This exhibition carries the theme ‘What the Body Remembers’ and is presented on an exceptionally large scale, featuring 23 galleries, more than 300 artists, and 23 performances from seven countries. Seventy percent of the presentation remains focused on Indonesian art,” said Kelsang Dolma, Director of Art & Bali, during a press conference on Friday (September 11, 2026).
The event also features a public program with six discussion sessions involving more than 20 speakers. Organizers are expecting around 10,000 visitors over the three-day event.
Kelsang said one of the exhibition’s distinctive features is its emphasis on media installations and recycled materials. Visitors can also experience the Labyrinth Dome, an immersive installation offering a 360-degree sensory experience.
Following the official opening, the curatorial team presented the ideas behind this year’s theme, “What the Body Remembers.” Art & Bali curator Bandana Tewari explained that the exhibition is not intended to compare Indonesia and India, but rather to create a cultural dialogue through shared memories, material knowledge, and traditional forms of making.
“This exhibition focuses on shared collective memories expressed through textiles, crafts, handicrafts, and intergenerational knowledge,” Tewari said.
One of the exhibition’s central ideas is “the hand as an archive”—exploring how skills passed down through generations can preserve cultural memory while also creating pathways for cultural exchange.
“If the exhibition asks us to look at what the body remembers, the next question is: what do we do with that knowledge today?” Tewari said.
Following the curatorial presentation, invited guests joined a guided tour led by the curatorial team, exploring works in textiles, crafts, and traditional handicrafts that reflect the exhibition’s focus on the hand as a repository of cultural memory.
Sustainability is another key element of Art & Bali 2026. The use of recycled materials and environmentally conscious installation practices reflects the event’s effort to combine artistic experiences with greater awareness of sustainability.
For its inaugural edition, Art & Bali positions Nuanu Creative City as more than an event venue. It forms part of a broader narrative about the evolution of Bali’s creative ecosystem, where art, culture, space, and innovation intersect.
The event also highlights Bali’s growing appeal beyond its traditional image as a destination for beaches, nature, and cultural heritage. Through initiatives such as Art & Bali, the island is increasingly presenting itself as a destination for contemporary art, creative exchange, innovation, and international cultural dialogue.