Ari Bayuaji was born in Indonesia in 1975. He graduated as a civil engineer and worked in Indonesia before deciding to move to Canada permanently in 2005. Once in Montreal, he studied Fine Arts at Concordia University from 2005 to 2010 and now, based in Montreal he also develops his artistic practice in Bali. The artist is known mainly for his art installations that incorporate the use of found and ready-made objects he collects from various parts of the world.
Ari Bayuaji has been traveling extensively internationally to participate in numerous artist-inresidency programs while also participating in international group shows in Korea, Taiwan, Denmark, Indonesia, Germany and The United States. His works are part of the permanent collection of Musée des Beaux Arts de Montréal, the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, Musée Pointe-à-Callière (Montreal), the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal and have been exhibited in major solo exhibitions in Singapore, Taipei (Taiwan), Ste-Alvère (France), Dusseldorf (Germany), Rotterdam, (Netherlands), Toronto (Canada) Sydney (Australia), Bangkok (Thailand), Washington DC (USA), and Yogyakarta (Indonesia).
Ari created installations of his work from his Weaving the Ocean project at the 2023 Cheongju Craft Biennale and the 2023 Busan Sea Art Festival in South Korea and just recently at the 2024 Bangkok Art Biennale. His solo installation, Weaving the Ocean: In Ari Bayuaji’s Studio opened November 25th 2023 at Espace Pour la Vie at the Biosphère in Montreal and concluded on March 2, 2025. From April 17th through September 5th 2025, a solo exhibition entitled Ari Bayuaji- An Act of Meditation from the series Weaving the Ocean was presented by the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo in their Prince Takamado Gallery followed by Installations of artwork at the Go for Kogei festival in Toyama Japan and then at Roppongi Art Night in Tokyo, presented by the Mori Art Museum.
Ari Bayuaji’s artistic approach is marked by a deep exploration of themes such as cultural identity, migration, and the subtle relationship between space and narrative. Born in Indonesia, Bayuaji moved to Canada in 2005. While based in Montreal, he also develops his artistic practice in Bali and divides his time between the two cities. Bayuaji's practice, deeply rooted in his personal experiences, transcends geographical and cultural boundaries, making his work profoundly relevant in today's diverse societal fabric.
A multidisciplinary artist, Bayuaji works with a wide range of media but mainly expresses himself through installations and sculptures made from found objects collected in different parts of the world—objects that reflect the cultural traditions of the places they come from. Through these materials and their connections to place, Bayuaji reveals the often-overlooked artistic value of everyday life within a culture. The ancient found objects he incorporates in his work are combined with emotions and reflections influenced by contemporary issues, and in doing so, he imbues them with new meaning. By reinterpreting these objects, Bayuaji creates a dialogue between past and present, while encouraging critical reflection on the role of objects and spaces in society and on the complexities of our globalized existence. Bayuaji also finds inspiration in ocean debris, such as colourful plastic ropes, fragments of coral, and mineral remains washed ashore. He uses these to create cast copper pieces, blurring the line between natural and artificial, true and false. Through the transformation and combination of these diverse materials, he reflects on the impact of plastic’s omnipresence in our lives.
At the heart of Bayuaji’s practice is a strong commitment to social and environmental concerns. His Weaving the Ocean project, launched in 2020, is a powerful testament to this. In collaboration with a traditional Balinese weaving workshop, Bayuaji designs and produces unique, eco-conscious textile works, while also providing sustainable income for artisans and supporting local economies affected by the global pandemic. Together with locally recruited assistants, the artist collects and cleans colorful plastic ropes washed up along Bali’s coastlines, unravels them into fine threads, and transforms them into hauntingly beautiful tapestries that celebrate his homeland’s rich textile culture.
This collaboration with local weavers, fishermen, and residents reflects his deep belief in collective, community-based artistic efforts and the positive impact of art in everyday life. Bayuaji’s work transcends cultural and geographic boundaries, carrying a universal message of environmental responsibility and community collaboration.