36 Photographers from 24 Countries Showcase Works at FOTO Bali Festival II
The FOTO Bali Festival has returned this year at Nuanu Creative City, Beraban Village, Kediri District, Tabanan, Bali. In this second edition, 36 photographers from 24 countries are exhibiting dozens of photographic works.
Running from 3 June to 12 July 2026, the festival carries the theme ‘After Image’, serving as a continuation of the first exhibition’s theme, ‘Life’.
Kelsang Dolma, Festival Director of FOTO Bali Festival II, explained that the committee received 693 applicants from 80 countries before the exhibition commenced. All works were subsequently curated by two photography figures, Kurniadi Widodo and Putu Sridianari.
“The result is that we have secured 36 artists from 24 countries,” said Kelsang Dolma on Saturday (6/6/2026).
According to Kelsang, the FOTO Bali Festival is organised because Bali possesses a unique diversity. Furthermore, the Island of the Gods serves as one of the primary destinations for photographers from Indonesia to Southeast Asia.
Meanwhile, curator Kurniadi Widodo stated that the theme ‘After Image’ stems from the observation that photography in Indonesia is often viewed superficially, temporarily, and fleetingly. Therefore, the theme was chosen to observe past moments with a longer duration, which are then integrated into the world of photography.
“Before selecting the 36 artists, there were 693 applicants from 80 countries. This exceeded our initial target of 500 applicants, proving that this festival has become a much-needed outlet for both local and international photography communities,” he explained.
The other curator, Putu Sridianari, added that the curation process focused on four key elements: relevance, strength of visual language, diversity of perspective, and the interconnectedness of the works.
“This exhibition is not a photo competition. It is purely about providing a space to showcase their work,” said Sridianari.
The FOTO Bali Festival II is also collaborating with the Ministry of Culture through the National Talent Management (MTN), ISI Bali, the Bali Motion community, and several other parties.