Who Stole the Sky - Curatorial Text by Heather Jones

At the heart of Who Stole the Sky is a desire to build a bridge between Balinese cosmology and Norse belief systems. Both traditions understand reality as layered and relational, structured through multiple realms that coexist rather than oppose one another. In Balinese cosmology, these realms are articulated through the Sanga Mandala: nine directions inhabited by gods, spirits, and ancestral forces. Norse mythology similarly describes a universe composed of nine interconnected worlds, connected by the world tree Yggdrasil. By drawing these parallels, Sasmita activates a shared mythic language that transcends geography, suggesting that collective memory and spiritual knowledge move across borders and cultures.

Installed nearby are three large paintings on canvas that together echo the trinity of Western religious doctrine while offering an alternative creation narrative rooted in feminine cosmology. Tree of Eden shows multiple figures emerging from a single hand, symbolising ancestral connection and shared lineage. In Cosmic Rebirth, a woman in a birth pose erupts in flames from crown and root chakras, embodying the nurturing feminine God birthing the universe; a blue lotus in her hand signifies medicine and spirituality. Rise of the Mountain and the Sea depicts a divine figure with fire radiating from womb and head, evoking both creative womb knowledge and the destructive power of Bali’s volcanic mountains. Throughout the exhibition, fire emerges repeatedly as both destructive and generative force, symbolising purification, volcanic power, blood, and rebirth.