Wayan Novi, a Yogyakarta-based Balinese artist, is now exhibiting at "INFLUENCERS" 2021. He is known for his meticulously detailed pointillism paintings and sculptures that poetically tell the story of his humble village life in Angseri, Bali. He began to learn arts at Sekolah Menengah Seni Rupa (SMSR) SMK 1 Sukawati. 

“ After I graduated, my family urged me to go to Yogyakarta and I eventually studied in the Indonesian Art Institute of Yogyakarta (ISI Yogyakarta). Initially, I had my doubts and told my family that I would choose ISI Bali over Yogyakarta so that I didn't need to move out of my hometown,” he said in an interview with Joseph Low.

But it's just a way for Wayan Novi to achieve his dream, as it was something that he has loved since he was a kid. “I loved to paint when I was a kid, and when I studied in ISI, I felt that I learned so many things from friends in different areas. Those seven years enriched my experience in painting and completed my point of view in the fine arts. Of course, the real challenge began after I graduated from ISI,” he said. 

This year, Wayan also has the opportunity to have his third solo exhibition, Tropical Happiness, which will open on 1 July 2021, in Art Porters Gallery’s room one. He created nine paintings and three sculptures. 

Related to the pointillism style of his artwork, he said, “I chose pointillism to depict the ideas that I have in my mind. I had this realization that the lives of human beings are like millions of dots that one cannot easily see. Those dots make us alive and make us beings. There are dots of happiness, dots of sadness, and dots of hope. All of those dots make up different paintings in our lives, and there’s neither a start nor an end.” 

Most of his art depicts his hometown back in Bali. On the next “INFLUENCERS 2021”, you'll be able to see more about his hometown. “You will find paintings that reflect the humble village life in Bali. The paintings depict simple everyday objects we use in the kitchen and the warmth of having a family. I’ve chosen the seemingly unimportant yet familiar objects to be the main subjects of the artworks. In addition to humble everyday objects and the landscape of Bali, my paintings also mainly depict the daily lives of my parents, family, and me, especially during our free time," he said.

"I hope that visitors will immerse themselves in the little Bali that I’ve depicted through the paintings,” Wayan closed the interview.