Download the Exclusive Bali Art Guide Map

I Wayan Win

Senior Artist
Baturulangun Batuan Artist Association

Artist Statement

For me, a painting is a quest for a precise point of equilibrium. Painting in the Batuan style is not merely about arranging objects; it is about managing the harmony of composition and color from the very first line drawn. I often envision a work globally—how a touch of red in one corner must be answered by a similar accent in another so that the canvas does not feel unbalanced. A beautiful visual is a balanced visual.

My art serves as a bridge between traditional narratives and personal imagination. While I used to be strictly bound by pure wayang (shadow puppet) conventions, I am now more interested in exploring the symbolism behind those stories. I do not wish to simply depict monkeys or mermaids; instead, I want to capture universal philosophies of life—about desire, love, and the celebration of beauty. Through strong traditional techniques, I experiment with surrealist concepts to present poetic, imaginary moments. For me, a painting is not just for the eyes to behold, but a space to contemplate the deepest meanings of every symbol present within it.

Bagi saya, sebuah lukisan adalah pencarian titik keseimbangan yang presisi. Melukis gaya Batuan bukan sekadar menyusun objek, melainkan mengelola harmoni komposisi dan warna sejak garis pertama ditarik. Saya sering membayangkan sebuah karya secara global—bagaimana setitik warna merah di satu sudut harus dijawab oleh aksen serupa di sudut lain agar kanvas tidak timpang. Visual yang indah adalah visual yang seimbang.

Seni saya adalah jembatan antara narasi tradisional dan imajinasi personal. Jika dulu saya banyak terpaku pada pakem pewayangan yang murni, kini saya lebih tertarik menggali simbolisme di balik cerita-cerita tersebut. Saya tidak ingin hanya menceritakan kera atau duyung, melainkan ingin memotret filosofi kehidupan yang universal—tentang nafsu, cinta, dan perayaan keindahan. Melalui teknik tradisi yang kuat, saya bereksperimen dengan konsep surealisme untuk menghadirkan momen-momen imajiner yang puitis. Bagi saya, lukisan bukan hanya sekadar pajangan mata, melainkan ruang untuk merenungkan makna terdalam dari setiap simbol yang hadir di dalamnya.

Artist Biography

I Wayan Win was born in the creative heart of Batuan Village on February 5, 1980. Growing up in a deeply immersive artistic ecosystem, he is the son of the renowned painter I Ketut Murtika, who served as his primary teacher and mentor since his elementary school years. Through his father’s lineage, I Wayan Win inherited a strong and disciplined artistic heritage, rooted in the influence of the maestro I Made Djata passed down through I Wayan Rajin and I Made Tubuh. His family's connection to Balinese art history even extends to the era of Rudolf Bonnet, where his father once assisted the maestro in Ubud as a visual transcriber.

Despite his immense passion for art from a young age, I Wayan Win pursued a formal education path that stands in sharp contrast to his painting world. He completed a Diploma 2 (D2) in Hospitality at Mapindo, which led him to a career in the tourism sector. To this day, he is known as a professional Russian-speaking tour guide. I Wayan Win’s life is a portrait of discipline and strategy; he consciously and strictly manages his time—limiting his guiding schedule to ensure dedicated periods for painting. For him, working in tourism provides the economic stability that allows him to remain idealistic, serene, and unhurried in his creative process.

His artistic career has been forged since high school, when he began selling his works to various galleries and art shops. This field experience shaped him into a "fighter" artist; he learned to understand market characters, build trust with gallery owners, and maintain consistent quality. Stylistically, he emphasizes strong composition and global color balance. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, I Wayan Win began exploring themes of surrealism and free imagination, highlighting philosophical and symbolic aspects atop the dense Batuan traditional technique. As an active member of the Baturulangun community, he remains committed to preserving ancestral techniques while staying open to visual innovation in the modern art era.

I Wayan Win lahir di jantung kreativitas Desa Batuan pada tanggal 5 Februari 1980. Tumbuh besar dalam ekosistem seni yang kental, ia merupakan putra dari pelukis ternama, I Ketut Murtika, yang juga menjadi guru utama sekaligus mentornya sejak usia sekolah dasar. Melalui silsilah ayahnya, I Wayan Win mewarisi garis artistik yang kuat dan disiplin, yang berakar dari pengaruh maestro I Made Djata melalui garis I Wayan Rajin dan I Made Tubuh. Kedekatan keluarganya dengan sejarah seni Bali bahkan menjangkau era Rudolf Bonnet, di mana ayahnya dahulu sering membantu sang maestro di Ubud sebagai juru tulis visual.

Meskipun memiliki gairah besar dalam seni sejak kecil, I Wayan Win menempuh jalur pendidikan formal yang cukup kontras dengan dunia lukisnya. Ia menyelesaikan pendidikan jenjang Diploma 2 (D2) Perhotelan di Mapindo, yang kemudian membawanya berkarier di sektor pariwisata. Hingga saat ini, ia dikenal sebagai pemandu wisata bahasa Rusia profesional. Kehidupan I Wayan Win adalah potret kedisiplinan dan strategi; ia secara sadar membagi waktunya dengan ketat—membatasi jadwal memandu untuk memastikan adanya waktu khusus untuk melukis. Baginya, bekerja di sektor pariwisata adalah pendukung realitas ekonomi yang memungkinkannya untuk tetap idealis, tenang, dan tidak terburu-buru dalam proses kreatif di depan kanvas.

Perjalanan karier seninya telah ditempa sejak masa SMA, di mana ia sudah mulai menjual karya-karyanya ke berbagai galeri dan art shop. Pengalaman lapangan ini membentuknya menjadi seorang pelukis yang berjiwa "petarung" (fighter); ia belajar memahami karakter pasar, membangun kepercayaan dengan pemilik galeri, hingga menjaga konsistensi kualitas karya. Secara gaya, ia sangat menekankan pada kekuatan komposisi dan keseimbangan warna global. Pasca-pandemi COVID-19, I Wayan Win mulai banyak mengeksplorasi tema-tema surealisme dan imajinasi bebas, menonjolkan aspek filosofis dan simbolis di atas teknik tradisi Batuan yang padat. Sebagai anggota aktif komunitas Baturulangun, ia terus berkomitmen pada pelestarian teknik leluhur sambil tetap membuka diri pada inovasi visual di era seni modern

Style: Traditional Balinese, Batuan Style - Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia

Mediums: Chinese Ink & Acrylic