Born in 1990, Citra Sasmita is a contemporary artist from Bali whose work focuses on unravelling the myths and misconceptions of Balinese art and culture. She is also deeply invested in questioning a woman’s place in the social hierarchy, and seeks to upend normative constructs of gender. Because of her interests, the artist’s oeuvre is often peppered with provocative themes that challenge the status quo, whether in its aesthetics or the message that it conveys.

Citra has participated in shows such as ‘Merayakan Murni’ at Sudakara Artspace Sanur, Bali in 2016, ‘Crossing: Beyond Baliseering’ at 45downstairs, Melbourne in 2017, and the recently concluded ‘Ode to the Sun’ at Yeo Workshop, Singapore. Notably, Citra participated in the Biennale Jogja Equator #5, ‘Do We Live in the Same Playground’, in 2019.

In this conversation, we speak to Citra about how she started her artistic career, the historical and social contexts that inspire her work, and her views on the contemporary art scene in Bali.