Art Innovation Born from Silence: ISI Bali Fosters Self-Confidence among the Disabled Community through the Pependetan Nirmala Dance in Buleleng, Bali
Photo: Joint practice session with the Kolok community in Bengkala Village, Buleleng, Bali, Thursday (30/10)
The proposal team from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Bali successfully implemented the Nusantara Art Innovation Program (PISN) with the theme “Art Innovation from Silence: Building Expression and Self-Confidence among the Disabled Community through the Pependetan Nirmala Dance.” The program was led by Ida Ayu Trisnawati, with team members I Gusti Putu Sudarta and Ida Bagus Ketut Trinawindu, and involved three ISI Bali students: Made Tarayana Amanda Putra, I Dewa Gede William Sedana Putra, and Komang Jana Arta Saputra.
The program was centered in Bengkala Village, Buleleng Regency, widely known as the “Deaf Village” (Desa Kolok) due to its community of people with hearing impairments. Although the village possesses strong artistic potential, the disabled community still faces various limitations in accessing spaces for artistic expression and personal development. This situation inspired the creation of an artistic work that is not only aesthetically appealing but also socially and spiritually meaningful.
Through the creation of the Pependetan Nirmala Dance, the ISI Bali team sought to establish an inclusive artistic space—one that provides individuals with disabilities the opportunity to express themselves, enhance their self-confidence, and at the same time preserve the cultural and spiritual values of Balinese society. This initiative also aligns with broader efforts to strengthen human resource development in the fields of art, education, gender equality, and the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
The program was carried out in several stages, beginning with the PISN socialization session on 17 October 2025, followed by the Pependetan Nirmala dance training on 30 October 2025. The training took place in collaboration with the Kolok Santhi Community at Banjar Dinas Kajanan, Bengkala Village, Kubutambahan District, Buleleng Regency. The activities were conducted in an atmosphere of enthusiasm and inclusivity, where participants not only learned basic movements and choreography but also explored self-expression, spiritual meanings of movement, and collaborative creation.
In addition to the training, the program included the design of adaptive costumes and properties, intensive mentoring, and documentation of both process and outcomes. Ultimately, the program aims to produce a model of inclusive performing arts that can be adopted by other communities, while reinforcing the interconnection between art, culture, and social empowerment.
Photo: With the Kolok community in Bengkala Village, Buleleng, Bali.
The outcomes of this program have been remarkably positive. Members of the Kolok Santhi Community demonstrated significant improvement in their artistic skills, self-confidence, and enthusiasm in presenting their creations. The culmination of these efforts was the successful staging of an inclusive performance of the Pependetan Nirmala dance, which received widespread appreciation from both the people of Bengkala Village and art enthusiasts.
In addition to the performance, the program also produced a dance learning module, an instructional video, and popular scientific documentation as references for the future development of inclusive art practices. Thus, the Pependetan Nirmala dance stands not only as a new artistic creation but also as a symbol of togetherness, courage, and beauty born from silence.
This program serves as a testament that art can be a bridge for everyone to express themselves—beyond physical abilities or social conditions. Through the collaboration between academics, artists, and local communities, ISI Bali has successfully demonstrated that innovation within traditional arts can generate tangible and sustainable social transformation.
Denpasar, 4 November 2025 — The Product Design Study Program, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Bali once again held a Guest Lecture as part of its academic enrichment initiatives for students. On this occasion, the program invited Dr. Achmad Syarief, MSD., a lecturer and researcher in the field of product design widely recognized for his expertise in product semantics.
The event, held on Tuesday, 4 November 2025 at the ISI Bali campus, was attended by approximately 80 students from the Product Design Study Program. In his lecture titled “Product Semantics: Understanding the Meaning of Design Objects,” Dr. Syarief discussed how form, color, and material in design communicate messages and shape user perception.
In his presentation, he emphasized the importance of understanding semantics in the design process, ensuring that a product is not only functional but also communicates effectively. “Designers must understand how users interpret form and symbolism in a product. This is where semantics serves as a bridge between design and perception,” Dr. Syarief remarked.
Head of the Product Design Study Program, Wahyu Indira, S.Sn., M.Sn., stated that the guest lecture is part of the program’s commitment to providing students with learning experiences that are both contextual and relevant to current developments in the design industry. “Through this activity, students gain direct insights from experienced experts, enriching their perspectives in the process of product design,” he explained.
Students showed great enthusiasm throughout the lecture, engaging in interactive discussions that explored various applications of product semantics in contemporary design. This activity is expected to strengthen students’ conceptual and philosophical understanding of product design, while inspiring the creation of innovative works imbued with meaningful expression.
The Indonesian Institute of the Arts Bali (ISI Bali) organized the Bali–Global Encounter Figure (B-GEF) #2: Printmaking Workshop at the Citta Kelangen Building, 2nd Floor, ISI Bali, on Wednesday (October 29). This event was part of the Bali–Global Axis of Arts and Design (B-GAAD) II 2025 series.
B-GEF serves as a dialogic platform exploring individual and collective interrelations, presented through creative collaborations among maestros, artists, cultural figures, and critics in the form of workshops.
Photo: Printmaking Workshop at the Citta Kelangen Building, 2nd Floor, ISI Bali, Wednesday (October 29).
In the implementation of B-GEF #2, Professor Paul Trinidad from the University of Western Australia served as the keynote speaker. He introduced the technique of relief printing applied to fabric and T-shirts, demonstrating firsthand the process of ink application through to the final printing stage.
The workshop was attended by dozens of students from various study programs, including Visual Communication Design, Fine Arts, Craft, and Product Design at ISI Bali. Participants showed great enthusiasm as they learned and practiced printmaking techniques alongside the maestro, gaining an artistic experience that harmoniously blended traditional methods with contemporary explorations. (ISI Bali/Public Relations)
Photo: The leadership of ISI Bali and B-GAAD II delegates together with all contingents of the World Cultural Carnival ISI Bali, Tuesday (October 28) at the Design Hub Building, ISI Bali.
The World Cultural Carnival, part of the 2025 Bali–Global Axis of Arts and Design (B-GAAD) II series, successfully captivated international delegates visiting the campus of the Indonesian Institute of the Arts Bali (ISI Bali) on Tuesday (October 28). This interdisciplinary art parade showcased the richness of mythology, creativity, and artistic ingenuity of students from all study programs at ISI Bali, woven together under the overarching theme “Tutur–Bhuwana–Tuwuh” (Myths–World–Memories).
Held following the commemoration ceremony of Youth Pledge Day, the carnival commenced in front of the Lata Mahosadhi Building, proceeded toward the Design Hub area, continued south to the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, and returned to the starting point. Along the route, participants presented thematic fashion parades, dance, theater, music, and artistic installations reflecting the identity of each study program. The main stage in front of the Design Hub Building became the focal point of the event, where all contingents performed their principal showcases before the Rector, university leaders, institutional partners, and international guests of B-GAAD.
Photo: The leadership of ISI Bali and B-GAAD II delegates watch the World Cultural Carnival ISI Bali, Tuesday (October 28) at the Bencingah of the Design Hub Building, ISI Bali.
A total of sixteen contingents took part in the performance, each interpreting the theme of Balinese mythology and cosmology through diverse artistic media. The Dance Study Program explored the sacred Sanghyang ritual; the Karawitan Program presented the resonant sound of kulkul performed live; while the Performing Arts Education Program showcased creative Cupak–Gerantang costumes.
The Puppetry and Theatre contingents combined wayang orang with body painting, whereas the Fine Arts Program presented memedi-median (spirit figures) visualizations using natural materials. The Craft Program highlighted the elegance of the dragon form, while Interior Design and Architecture presented artistic renditions of lelakut (scarecrows).
The atmosphere of valor and combat was strongly evoked by the Music and Digital Business contingents through the theme “Genderang Perang” (War Drums), featuring live wind instrument performances. Meanwhile, the Visual Communication Design Program enlivened the carnival with the theme Mayadenawa, accompanied by distinctive sound effects creatively produced by the students themselves.
Photo: The Dance Study Program performing Sasanghyangan at the World Cultural Carnival ISI Bali, Tuesday (October 28) at the Bencingah of the Design Hub Building, ISI Bali.
From a visual standpoint, the Photography Program captivated audiences with the theme Kalarau, employing dynamic reflector lighting effects; the Fashion Design Program presented the long-haired figure Dadayangan; while the Film and Television Production Program showcased Wong Samar, featuring mysterious camouflage costumes. Equally impressive, the Product Design Program introduced costumes inspired by Bedawang—a giant, scaly turtle—whereas the Animation Program staged a lively parade of Tantri-themed animal characters.
The postgraduate programs also enlivened the parade: the Doctoral Program (Ph.D.) highlighted the symbol of Garuda as a representation of strength, while the Master’s Program (M.A.) featured Dewi Sri, the goddess of fertility, complete with tirta props and graceful live music accompaniment.
Each contingent consisted of approximately twenty members, including both faculty and students, presenting an artistic synthesis of fashion, choreography, props, and thematic music. This cross-disciplinary collaboration exemplified the rich artistic expression of ISI Bali’s academic community in responding to the overarching theme of B-GAAD II, which intertwines myth, world, and the memories of civilization. (ISI Bali/Public Relations)
Photo: Leaders and faculty members from art and design universities across the Asia–Pacific region during the B-GAAD Leaders’ Summit, Tuesday (October 28) at the Sabha Citta Mahottama Hall, Design Hub Building, ISI Bali.
As part of the Bali–Global Axis of Arts and Design (B-GAAD) II 2025 event series, the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Bali convened the B-GAAD Leaders’ Summit on Tuesday (October 28) at the Sabha Citta Mahottama Hall, Design Hub Building, ISI Bali. The strategic meeting was chaired by Prof. Dr. Wayan “Kun” Adnyana, Rector of ISI Bali, and attended by university leaders and faculty members from prominent art and design institutions across the Asia–Pacific region.
Participants included Prof. Dr. Wayan Adnyana (Rector, ISI Bali); Asst. Prof. Dr. Sanor Klinngam, Dr. Kitsada Tungchawal, and Asst. Prof. Rapipan Thiamdaet (Phetchaburi Rajabhat University, Thailand); Prof. Kate Hislop (University of Western Australia, Australia); Asst. Prof. Catherine Parrott, MFA (University of Iowa, United States); Prof. Dr. K. Azril Ismail and Assoc. Prof. Suzlee Ibrahim (National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage / ASWARA, Malaysia); and Prof. Jaygo Bloom, MFA (Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore). From ISI Bali, attendees included Dr. Ni Made Arshiniwati, SST., M.Si. (Chair of the Senate), Prof. Dr. Anak Agung Gde Bagus Udayana, S.Sn., M.Si. (Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Information Systems), Dr. I Made Jodog, MFA. (Vice Rector for Planning, Finance, and General Administration), Prof. Dr. I Komang Sudirga, S.Sn., M.Hum. (Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Collaboration), and Nyoman Dewi Pebriyani, ST., MA, Ph.D. (Director of the Postgraduate Program).
Held in a collegial and constructive atmosphere, the forum served as a strategic dialogue platform that brought together leaders of art and design higher education from across the region. Participants shared insights and perspectives on managing art and design education committed to community welfare, cultural preservation, and ecological balance. The meeting also strengthened solidarity and collaborative networks among art and design universities throughout the Asia–Pacific.
Photo: Rector of ISI Bali, Prof. Dr. Wayan “Kun” Adnyana (right), with Asst. Prof. Dr. Sanor Klinngam, Presidential Advisor of Phetchaburi Rajabhat University, Thailand, during the signing of the B-GAAD Declaration, Tuesday (October 28) at the Sabha Citta Mahottama Hall, Design Hub Building, ISI Bali.
The highlight of the forum was marked by the signing of The B-GAAD Declaration: Caksu–Bhuwana–Citta (Noble Vision for Shining Futures)—a declaration affirming the shared vision of art and design universities across the Asia–Pacific to cultivate solidarity, collective responsibility, and cross-cultural collaboration in shaping a sustainable future for the arts and design. Through this declaration, the leaders agreed to establish the Asia Pacific Axis of Arts and Design Higher Education Network, a platform designed to foster fraternity and collaboration across nations through knowledge exchange and academic mobility.
The declaration encompasses five principal missions, referred to as the Panca Mahadharma:
Strengthening partnerships to advance and sustain academic excellence;
Committing to the welfare of society and communities;
Collaborating in the preservation of culture and local heritage;
Actively participating in maintaining ecological balance; and
Promoting creativity and technological innovation in the fields of art and design.
These five missions serve as a collective framework guiding inter-institutional collaboration toward a vision of art and design education that is excellent, humanistic, culturally grounded, and sustainable.
The declaration was signed by all participating representatives, including leaders of ISI Bali and delegates from Thailand, Australia, South Korea, the United States, Malaysia, and Singapore. The signing ceremony symbolized a shared commitment to positioning B-GAAD as a forum for dialogue, partnership, and ongoing collaboration among art and design universities in the Asia–Pacific region in realizing The Panca Mahadharma Mission.
Rector Prof. Dr. Wayan “Kun” Adnyana emphasized that the B-GAAD Leaders’ Summit represents a concrete step in strengthening the position of ISI Bali and Indonesia as a global hub for higher education in art and design. “Through the B-GAAD Declaration, we are collectively kindling a light for the future of art and design—one rooted in humanity, culture, and sustainability,” he affirmed. (ISIBALI/Public Relations)
Affirming Commitment through the Declaration of Panca Mahadharma B-GAAD
Photo: As part of the B-GAAD II 2025 series, performances of Cancala-Bhuwana-Candika, Trunajaya, and Jeriring Janger were staged at the Kirtya Sabha Mahottama Auditorium, ISI Bali, on Friday (October 31).
The Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Bali once again established itself as a central hub for higher education in the arts and design within the Asia–Pacific region through the Bali–Global Axis of Arts and Design (B-GAAD) II 2025, officially opened on Tuesday (October 28) at the Kirtya Sabha Mahottama Auditorium, ISI Bali. This year’s B-GAAD carries the theme Tutur–Bhuwana–Tuwuh (Myth–World–Memory), emphasizing the significance of myth as a living body of knowledge that shapes human wisdom and civilizational identity.
The Rector of ISI Bali, Prof. Dr. I Wayan Adnyana, stated that B-GAAD represents ISI Bali’s initiative to establish a strategic international platform for the actualization of ideas, connecting higher education institutions in art and design across the Asia–Pacific region. “B-GAAD is not merely a meeting forum but a melting ground of ideas, concepts, and visions that strengthen Asia–Pacific solidarity toward new innovations,” he remarked.
This year, B-GAAD II is joined by eleven universities, three art institutions, and one government organization from across the Asia–Pacific region, including: the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (ASWARA), Malaysia; Kazakh National Academy of Choreography; Lasalle College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore; Phetchaburi Rajabhat University, Thailand; University of Western Australia (UWA); Kyoto Saga University of Arts and Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts, Japan; University of Iowa, United States; Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam (JKKNI) University, Bangladesh; and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), Republic of Korea. Additional support came from the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA), Komaneka Art Gallery, Misato City, Japan, and the Wiswakarma Museum, Gianyar.
In his opening address, the Rector underscored that mythology—as articulated by Edith Hamilton in Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes (1969)—reflects the way humans have thought and felt since ancient times. Through mythology, humanity rediscovers its profound connection with nature—with the earth, sea, trees, flowers, and hills—a relationship that has gradually faded in the modern age.
Photo: Reading of the B-GAAD Declaration by the Rector of ISI Bali, Prof. Dr. Wayan “Kun” Adnyana, witnessed by the leaders of art and design universities across the Asia–Pacific region, Tuesday (October 28) at the Kirtya Sabha Mahottama Auditorium, ISI Bali.
As a manifestation of its commitment to strengthening networks of collaboration and sustaining academic excellence, B-GAAD II produced the Panca Mahadharma B-GAAD Declaration, titled Caksu–Bhuwana–Citta (Noble Vision for Shining Futures), signed by leaders and faculty members from art and design higher education institutions across the Asia–Pacific. The declaration articulates five core missions:
To strengthen partnerships for the advancement and sustainability of academic excellence;
To commit to community welfare and social responsibility;
To collaborate in preserving culture and local heritage;
To actively participate in maintaining ecological balance; and
To foster creativity and technological innovation in the arts and design.
The declaration was signed by prominent leaders and academics, including:
Prof. Dr. I Wayan Adnyana (Rector, ISI Bali, Indonesia); Asst. Prof. Dr. Sanor Klinngam, Dr. Kitsada Tungchawal, and Asst. Prof. Rapipan Thiamdaet (Phetchaburi Rajabhat University, Thailand); Prof. Kate Hislop (Dean, School of Design, University of Western Australia, Australia); Prof. Dr. Koh Young Hun (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Republic of Korea); Asst. Prof. Catherine Parrott, MFA (University of Iowa, United States); Prof. Dr. K. Azril Ismail and Assoc. Prof. Suzlee Ibrahim (National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage / ASWARA, Malaysia); Prof. Jaygo Bloom, MFA (Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore); and from ISI Bali: Dr. Ni Made Arshiniwati (Chair of the Senate), Prof. Dr. Anak Agung Gde Bagus Udayana (Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Information Systems), Dr. I Made Jodog (Vice Rector for Planning, Finance, and General Administration), Prof. Dr. I Komang Sudirga (Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Collaboration), and Nyoman Dewi Pebriyani, Ph.D (Director of the Postgraduate Program, ISI Bali).
Photo: Opening Ceremony of B-GAAD II 2025, Tuesday (October 28) at the Kirtya Sabha Mahottama Auditorium, ISI Bali.
A series of B-GAAD II activities took place from October 27 to 31, 2025, across multiple venues both on and off the ISI Bali campus. The event encompassed a wide range of international programs, including the Bali–Global Arts and Design Symposium (B-GADS), Bali–Global Performing Arts Map (B-GPAM), Bali–Global Art Map Exhibition (B-GAME), Bali–Global Innovative Design Map Exhibition (B-GIDME), Bali–Global Encounter Figure (B-GEF), Bali–Global Authentic Trip (B-GAT), B-GAAD Leaders’ Summit, and the Bali–Global Expo and Job Fair (B-GEJF).
The opening event was enlivened by the World Cultural Carnival, which interpreted the theme Myths–World–Memories through an artistic parade involving all undergraduate, applied bachelor’s, and postgraduate programs of ISI Bali. The occasion also featured the launch of the book and art projectBali–Global Encounter Figure (B-GEF) #1: Unveiling Borrowed Light, a collaborative work by Prof. K. Azril Ismail and Azrul K. Abdullah from ASWARA Malaysia, in partnership with the Agung Rai Museum of Art (ARMA).
As part of the B-GAAD II series, a Woodcut Workshop conducted by Prof. Paul Trinidad from the University of Western Australia was also held for ISI Bali students, enriching the cross-cultural and artistic exchange through shared techniques and creative dialogue. (ISIBALI/Public Relations)
