About

Creating a socially conscious & inclusive world with art and creativity.

Ketemu (Project) started in 2011. As established artists, we felt uncomfortable with our work only reaching the commercial art market. We know that the arts can go further than that. Creatively, the arts can be used as a tool to deal with contemporary societal challenges.

In 2012 we began by working on a project involving a community of marginalised batik workers, The Wax on Our Fingers.

After a few years working on projects with schools and communities we see that there was a clear need for a new artistic platform; and to expand our practice by working with other established international artists. This is when we set up Ketemu Project Space and Ketemu Residency Programme.

KETEMU TEAM

Kabul

AKA: Budi Agung Kuswara

Our founder and Director Kabul, is a formally trained established contemporary avant-garde Balinese painter. Both his solo and his collaborative works with communities have been exhibited in a variety of museums and galleries across Asia.
His collaborative work “Mimizu San” for example was exhibited at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan and “Arus Berlabuh Kita” at the Asian Civilisation Museum of Singapore. Kabul’s solo work can be viewed at www.budiagungkuswara.com
Kabul initiated Schizofriends Art Movement, dedicated to supporting people living with schizophrenia.
If not working in the Studio or at Rumah Berdaya you can find Kabul in one of the beaches windsurfing.

Mintio or Sam

AKA: Samantha Tio

Our Co-founder has a Bachelor in Fine Art from the School of Art Design and Media at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. As a lens-based artist, she has exhibited her work in festivals and museums globally.
Sam drives the organisation by managing the team, initiating artists collaboration together with commercial and artistic partnerships. She divides her time in Bali and Singapore.
Her collaborative work with communities include “The Wax on Our Fingers” and “The Current/s We Call Home” created in partnership with Kabul. Mintio solo work can be found on The Artling.
If she is not running an art education program at the National Gallery of Singapore, teaching at Nanyang Academy of Fine Art, or thinking about our funding, she likes to do yoga and watch her robot vacuum cleaner move around the house.

Dewi

AKA: Anak Agung Mayun Dewi

Dewi in charge of our administrations, accounting and operational need for projects and residencies.
Her accolade includes representing Indonesia (beating 32 other Indonesian social enterprises) and Ketemu in Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) programme by the Singapore International Foundation. Currently she is managing the British Council Developing Inclusive Creative Economy Project developing five new inclusive and artistic social enterprises.
When she is not running around sorting out our projects and products, you can find Dewi at another one of her enterprising hobbies, running a food stall in the many community markets in Bali.

Army Fahri

AKA: Army

Army has been involved in the Indonesian contemporary art scene for over 10 years. Mainly, his works center on managing, consulting, and curating where he engages with artists, galleries, collectors, curators, and other private art institutes in Indonesia and abroad. Recently he has been active in the lano art project, an initiative he and an Indonesian artist established, focusing on art research, publication, and art exhibition, specifically for Balinese art and Indonesian art in general.  Along with the Ketemu Project, he also participated in some of the Projects. Last year, he was the Participant Liaison for R&D Project, and this year he led one project Art et al. X Ketemu Project , a virtual collaboration between differently-abled artists, contemporary artists, and art organizations involving two countries Indonesia and UK.

Sidhi Vhisatya

AKA: Sidhi

Sidhi is an artist based in Ubud, Bali. His practice includes collage & documentaries, writing, research, and archiving work. Since 2020, Sidhi has been active as a curator and project manager at the Queer Indonesia Archive. Sidhi was involved in the Southeast Asia Queer Cultural Festival (SEAQCF) organized by the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus with the documentary "Liku: Off and On Stage" and the archival exhibition "Echo from The Past". In addition, Sidhi once did a 3-month residency to evaluate his archiving work through the MARANTU program in Yogyakarta. Now Sidhi has been involved in the work of the Ketemu Project since 2021, as a facilitator for the R&D program and is also involved in the Project Art et al. X Ketemu Project program.

Ruth Onduko

AKA: Ruth

Ruth is an independent artist based in Bali who focuses on arts managerial work. Has been with Ketemu Project in each of its programs, one of which is leading an R&D project with disabled artists with various artistic backgrounds. Now Ruth is also taking part in the Artist Residency Program as a program advisor. Ruth is also the Community Manager of Uma Seminyak, co-founder of the Futuwonder collective and founder of Senidibali.

Irfa Novita

AKA: Irfa

Irfa has a background in marketing and has a huge interest working in organizations that have social impact. This year she is focusing on the arts more, since art has long been an interest of hers. Along with Ketemu Project, Irfa helps manage cooperative and collaborative relationships with other organizations and collaborators. Not only helping the partnership department, Irfa also manages the marketing department in Ketemushop; artisan product from Ketemu Project.