In the era of the digital age, in which technology plays a major role in changes in every life’s aspect, a more dynamic culture evolves within modern society. People these days have so many choices on how to communicate, and business industries have developed in so many ways. Such changes inevitably have impacted the art industries, particularly the visual art industry along with all the types within this category, where the illustrator is a part of it.

As someone who draws or creates images to depict ideas, concepts, stories, and such, the presence of an illustrator has become more relevant.  Social media apps have also helped to boost the flourishing of both traditional and digital illustration.

Bali, one of the world’s prominent destinations for tourism where art is an inseparable element of their traditional cultures, is home to many painters and tattoo artists – the title ‘exotic’ truly lives here on this island. Bali has always drawn attention to the art community around the world. Numerous art exhibitions and cultural events have been held here – both on a national and international scale.

And then, there is Ida Bagus Ratu Antoni Putra who goes under the pseudonym ‘Monez’, a native Balinese illustrator with a global reputation. Coming from Balinese root have given him a solid foundation in art, and over time he built his own style and signatures in his works. Six years of working in the garment industry as a pattern designer has brought a major influence on his style. He mentioned that the dark themes of his previous works have transformed to be more fun with a lot of festive colours in his latter works. He’s also proud to say that his personal artworks are mostly influenced by fables and folk tales.

Monez has developed and gained a strong reputation as an illustrator with many projects and invitations as a speaker in art workshops, seminars, and other gatherings. His large-scale murals appear on the walls of restaurants around the island. He also designed children’s books published in the States. The biggest zoo in Bali, Bali Zoo, asked him to design their fun and playful map and tour bus. The big jump of his career was the presentation he did at the Apple Store in Singapore for ‘Today at Apple’. This event made a major impact not only on him personally but also on the illustration community in Bali.

Monez feels that the growth potential in the industry allows him to be more adaptive in the game. He mentioned that employing digital tools and organising a good team are just a few of the key points in the current industry. And, as the pandemic subdued and business bounces back – even more expanding, it may get busier for Monez to work on some projects.

Suara Festival will be his upcoming big project in 2023. This 2-day event is a celebration of creativity and a home for human expression with tons of artwork and installations. Monez will be taking lead as the head illustrator for this event. Suara Festival will be held on 13 – 14 May at Nuanu.

NUANU, ‘City of the future’ is a place with a strong sense of community in Nyanyi, Tabanan. Lush green rice fields surround the place, and the locals are committed to protecting and preserving them. Sprawled across 44 hectares of prime beachfront land, NUANU is a new place in Bali that inspires an original way of living in harmony with one another and nature, testing new ways of learning, rethinking, creating, and seeking to impact society as well as to regenerate our environment positively. More info about NUANU, please visit www.nuanu.com