Citra Sasmita (b. 1990, Bali, Indonesia) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work challenges dominant narratives surrounding Balinese art, culture, and gender. Drawing from the visual language of traditional Kamasan painting-historically shaped within male lineages-she reinterprets its techniques to foreground feminist perspectives. Her practice often incorporates multisensory elements to explore the lived experiences of women in Bali, bridging tradition with contemporary discourse. Informed by her background in literature, physics, theatre, and illustration, Sasmita brings a distinct interdisciplinary approach to addressing social issues.
Solo exhibitions include Who Stole the Sky, Kunsthall Stavanger, Norway (2026); Women Who Carry the Mountain, Yeo Workshop, Singapore (2026); Frieze New York 2025, presented by Yeo Workshop, New York, USA (2025); Into Eternal Land Barbican Centre, London, UK (2025); Atlas of Curiosity, Yeo Workshop, Singapore (2023); Ode To The Sun, Yeo Workshop, Singapore (2020); Under The Skin, Redbase Foundation, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2018); Beauty Anatomy, Laramona, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia (2017)
Group exhibitions include Thresholds, White Cube, Hong Kong (2025); A Knowing, Silverlens, Manila, The Philippines (2025); The Weight of Stillness, Ames Yavuz, Sydney, Australia (2025); The Archipelagic Imagination: Seaport, Almine Rech, Shanghai, China (2025); All About Eve, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK (2025); Layers of Accumulated Time: Depicting the World We Live in, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (2025); Musafiri: Of Travellers and Guests, Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), Berlin, Germany (2025); SP-Arte 2025, presented by Baro Galeria, São Paulo, Brazil (2025); ARCOMadrid 2025, presented by Baro Galeria, Madrid, Spain (2025); (Re) Born From Fire, IFA Stuttgart, Germany (2024); Land of Fire, Kunsthalle Begga, Timisoara, Romania (2024); Arts Maebashi, Museum of Art Tokyo, Japan (2024); ICAD Artura, Grand Kemang, Jakarta, Indonesia (2024); After Rain, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2024, Diriyah, Saudi Arabia (2024); Ten Thousand Suns, 24th Biennale of Sydney, Sydney, Australia (2024); Precarious Joys, Toronto Biennial of Art 2024, Toronto, Canada (2024); Repurposing: Paradise at Amandari, Curated by Krisna Sudharma, Presented by Nonfrasa Gallery, Amandari, Bali, Indonesia (2024); A Woman You Thought You Knew, Kadist Foundation, San Francisco, United States of America (2024); Disobedient Bodies: Without Gods, Patrons or Mysteries, BARÓ GALERIA, Spain (2024); Art Dubai 2024, Presented by Yeo Workshop, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2024); The One-Straw Revolution, Framer Framed, Amsterdam (2024); The Great Indonesia, De Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam (2023); Altar, island nyc, New York, United States of America (2023); Hoo Fan Chon, Citra Sasmita, Vuth Lyno: New Works, NTU CCA Singapore Residencies for Southeast Asian Artist in the EU, NTU Centre for Contemporary Art, Singapore (2023); Choreographies of the Impossible, 35th São Paulo Biennale, São Paulo, Brazil (2023); The Open World, 3rd Thailand Biennale, Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park, Chiang Rai, Thailand (2023); Hoo Fan Chon, Citra Sasmita, Vuth Lyno: New Works, NTU CCA Singapore Residencies for Southeast Asian Artist in the EU, NTU Centre for Contemporary Art, Singapore (2023); Body, Community, and Society: She is House, 333 Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand (2023); Fundraising Tengara.id & Rubanah, Rubanah Underground Hub, Jakarta (2023); From The Land of Gold Below The Winds in South Seas, Art SG, Presented by Yeo Workshop, Singapore (2023); Bale Project Art Jakarta Gardens, Jakarta, Indonesia (2023); Sua Kuasa Matra, ISA Art Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2023); Our Grandfathers Road, 16albermarle Projectspace, Sydney (2022); Jakarta International Literary Festival, Jakarta, Indonesia (2022); ASIA NOW Paris, Presented by Yeo Workshop, Monnaie de Paris, Paris, France (2022); Garden of Ten Seasons, Savvy Contemporary, Berlin, Germany (2022); Open School/Meet The Residents, WIELS Brussels, Brussels, Belgium (2022); Flow, Yogya Annual Art 2022, Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2022); Connectivity, Srisasanti Syndicate, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Art Jakarta Gardens, Bale Project, Jakarta, Indonesia (2022); New Art From Bali and Bandung, 16albermarle, Sydney, Australia (2022); Kathmandu Triennale 2077, Patan Museum, Kathmandu, Nepal (2022); Good News From Bali, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore (2022); Change Constellation, S.E.A Focus 2022, Presented by Yeo Workshop, Singapore (2022); Post Identity, Bali Contemporary Art Now, Artsphere Gallery , Jakarta, Indonesia (2021); Passion Of Three Kingdoms, Redbase Gallery, Sydney, Australia (2021); ARTJOG MMXXII, Time To Wonder, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2021); TRANSboundaries Yogya Annual Art, Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarya, Indonesia (2021); A Life Beyond Boundaries, JWD Art Space, Bangkok, Thailand (2021); #Perempuan, Castlemaine Museum of Art, Sydney, Australia (2021); Host, Edel Assanti, London, United Kingdom (2021)
Awards and residencies
Citra Sasmita has received multiple residencies such as the Residency Seasons Winter 2024, Delphina Foundation, London (2024); SEA Air - Studio Residency by NTU CCA Singapore in the EU WIELS Centre d’Art Contemporain in Brussels (2022); Residensi Jogja Biennale di Kota Kinabalu, Sabah-Malaysia supported by Bekraf, Jogja Biennale, and Valentine Willie (2019); Artist in residence, Red Base Foundation Yogyakarta (2018); Festival Bangsal Menggawe (Kolaborasi Seniman dan Masyarakat), Pemenang, Lombok Utara supported by Komunitas Pasir Putih dan Koalisi Seni Indonesia (2017).
Citra was also awarded the UOB painter of the year gold award in 2017 and has held multiple lectures all over the world.