Sono Kuwayama is an artist from New York based. Her work is often site specific and installations grow from a response to a space and the ensuing dialog with place.  Sono first came to Bali and tried to do a residency at Ketemu. Sono’s residency journey started with doing research in getting to know more about Balinese culture.

“ Here in Bali, I was moved by the language of objects. I was struck by the Candi Bentar, representing the line between holy grounds and the outside world, the concept of duality and the balance to be sought. The Wayang Kulit also plays with light and dark and the balance of polarities. The Canang Sari (ca = beauty, nang = purpose) brought the balance of life to the everyday. These daily offerings spoke of our connection to the spiritual and our responsibilities in right thought, right speech and right action, attending with gratitude and reverence in life, along with impermanence. The tridatic and trimurti representing the awakening of goodness in spirit; creativity and bravery; and protection from bad influences; also spoke to me, as after all, this too is the language of art. “

Ketemu Aja! with Sono Kuwayama

The result of her residency is an installation exhibition, titled “BETWEEN”. For “BETWEEN,” she wanted to bring natural materials (hand spun yarns and grapevine charcoal) from NY (her home base) and combine them with natural materials she might find here as well, she wanted to work with the ideas and language of place as they interacted with the conceptual leanings of my practice.