JAKARTA – The Sovereign Art Foundation (SAF) recently honored Indonesian creativity. The organization named Balinese artist Citra Sasmita the winner of the Sovereign Asian Art Prize 2026. Officials presented this prestigious award during a gala dinner and charity auction at the M+ Museum in Hong Kong on May 15.
Citra earned the top prize as the first Indonesian artist in the history of this competition. This annual event attracts the most talented creators from the entire Asia-Pacific region. Judges selected her work from a group of 30 outstanding finalists.
She created a painting titled Poetry of the Fountain. She used the traditional Kamasan technique, which features intricate patterns and beads. Furthermore, she combined this style with diverse Balinese textiles to bridge the gap between history and the present. Her art proves that ancestral traditions remain vibrant and relevant in our modern world. In addition, the piece explores deep connections between ceremonial practices, rituals, and the feminine perspective.
