JAKARTA, mybalinews.com – Made Bayak presents a series of new works titled “Basel Series” after returning from a residency program at Mondial Atelier and KBH.G Basel, Switzerland last year.
These works are now on display at Zen1 Gallery Jakarta under the title “Made Bayak’s ‘Mindscape’ Basel Series, immediately surprising the art public, who have always been very different from Bayak’s distinctive identity.
Exhibition curator Yudha Bantono believes that Bayak’s current work demonstrates a significant difference from his previous works.
While Bayak has previously been closely associated with the “Balinese way”—using symbols, icons, space, and traditional Balinese cultural values as a tool to address social, ecological, political, and humanitarian issues—in his latest series, all of these characteristics have been eliminated.
“Bayak is known as an artist who is sensitive, reactive, and even explosive about Balinese and global issues, but in the Basel Series, he seems to completely disregard that identity,” Yudha said when met by the media on Saturday, August 23, 2025.
This change apparently has a reason. Last year, Bayak undertook a three-month residency in Basel to prepare for the ROOT exhibition, a project that traces the path of painter Walter Spies during his stay in Bali and examines how that historical journey intertwines with Bali’s changes to the present day.
During his time in Basel, amidst his busy schedule of work and residency programs, Bayak intensively explored this city, home to Europe’s most advanced artistic civilization.
Basel, the city with the largest number of museums in the world, has also had a significant influence on Bayak’s perspective, particularly regarding the development of global art. He deeply enjoys the works of world-class artists, from Paul Klee, Kandinsky, Picasso, and other great artists.
Made Bayak said he discovered a lot in Basel, from buildings with ancient and modern architecture, streets, train and tram lines, the summer atmosphere, and even the beautiful Rhine River, the city’s soul.
“The warmth of the people, who come from various backgrounds, was also very impressive. All of that made me even more interested in delving deeper, even though I only lived there for three months,” said Made Bayak.
Yudha added that Bayak’s work with the Basel Series demonstrates his adaptability and restlessness in reinventing his artistic approach.
“For Bayak, Basel is not just an experience and an event, but more than that, it’s a powerful magnet that draws him to make fundamental changes to his artistic identity,” Yudha said.
The owner of Zen1 Gallery Bali and Jakarta, Nicolaus F. Kuswanto, familiarly known as Nico, warned Bayak before leaving for Basel to bring home souvenirs of the experience in the form of works.
Bayak took this advice seriously, and he then prepared everything thoroughly during the residency. The result is a beautiful surprise that presents a new and different atmosphere from previous works.
The Basel Series “Mindscape” exhibition by Made Bayak opened on Friday, August 22, 2025, at the Zen1 Gallery in Jakarta, and runs until September 14, 2025.
Bayak displays 32 works of varying sizes, each testifying to Bayak’s continued exploration and response to various issues and events with an ever-evolving technical approach and style.
Collector and art observer Daniel Ginting, at the opening of the exhibition, expressed his high appreciation for Bayak’s fresh and daring achievements, daring to break out of his usual path.
“Bayak is one of many artists who is willing to explore and dare to step outside his comfort zone, both in terms of thought, habits, ideas, and creativity,” said Daniel.
Daniel hopes that Bayak’s work, born from his experiences during his residency in Basel, Switzerland, will not stop here, but will continue to present further surprises that will add color and enrich the conversation about art, both in Indonesia and internationally. (mybalinews/RLS)
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