Sinta Tantra (b. 1979, New York) is a British artist of Balinese descent. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London between 1999–2003 and later continued her studies in art at the Royal Academy Schools in London, graduating in 2006. Tantra describes herself as a painter working on an architectural scale. By using an abstract geometric style, exploring color, identity, and narratives, she questions the function of spaces in her work. Sinta Tantra is highly regarded for her site-specific murals and installations in the public realm.
Solo exhibitions include Some Like It Hot, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Palm Beach, Florida, USA (2025); The Light Club of Batavia, Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, London, UK (2024); Shrines of Gaiety, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK (2023); All You Could Hear, Richard Koh Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand (2023); Art Singapore, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Singapore (2023); Constellations of Being, ISA Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2022); On Being Blue, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Nevlunghavn, Norway (2022); Birds of Paradise, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2021); Modern Times, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK (2020); A House in Bali, ISA Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2017); Fantastic / Chromatic, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, London, UK (2015); Essence of a Thing, House of St. Barnabas, London, UK (2005); Dynamic, Maximum, Tension, Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool, UK (2011); Politics of Seduction, Stanley Picker Gallery, Kingston University, London, UK (2010).
Group exhibitions include (Upcoming) EXPO Chicago, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Chicago, USA (2025); Shadow and Void: Buddha10, ESEA Contemporary, Manchester, UK (2025); Small is Beautiful XLII, Flowers Gallery, London, UK (2024); The Geometry of Abstraction, Paul Smith, No9 Albemarle Street, London, UK (2024); Fates and Furies, Appetite, Singapore (2024); The 2024 Sovereign Asian Art Prize Finalists Exhibition, 9/F, Hong Kong (2024); By The Means at Hand, Pavilion of Croatia, 60th Biennale di Venezia, Italy (2024); EXPO Chicago, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Chicago, USA (2024); Art Moments Jakarta, Sheraton Grand Jakarta, Indonesia (2023); Where the Wild Roses Grow, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Schloss Görne, Germany (2023); KIWARI: Narasi Identitas dan Kefanaan, Tumurun Museum, Surakarta, Indonesia (2023); Women Group Show, ISA Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2023); Sua Kuasa Matra, ISA Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2023); Art Jakarta Gardens, ISA Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2023); A New Paradise, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK (2022); Small is Beautiful: 40th Edition, Flowers Gallery, London, UK (2022); Y: Collect 3.0, Ruci Art Space, Jakarta, Indonesia (2019); Karachi Biennial, Pakistan (2019); Small is Beautiful, Flowers Gallery, London, UK (2018); London Graphic, Thameside Studios, London, UK (2018); Hornby Tantra: Works III, Broadgate, London, UK (2018); Voyage to Indonesia, The World Bank, Washington, DC, USA (2018); High Noon, Accademia Belle Arti di Roma, Rome, Italy (2017); Changing Perspective, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2017); Lost and Found: Place, Space, Identity, World Trade Center, Jakarta, Indonesia (2016), among others.
Highlights and Collections
Sinta Tantra's artworks can be found in international private and public collections, including Government Art Collection UK; Louis Vuitton Collection Southeast Asia; Karachi Biennale; Benetton Collection; Folkestone Triennial, Canary Wharf; Tumurun Museum, Indonesia; Museum MACAN, Indonesia. In 2024, Tantra was nominated for the Sovereign Asian Art Prize. Tantra is a recipient of many awards, including the Bridget Riley Drawing Fellow at The British School at Rome (2017); shortlisted for the Jerwood Contemporary Painting Prize (2015); British Council’s International Development Award (2014); First Prize, Painting and Decorating Industry Award (2012); The Royal British Society of Sculptors AHRBS (2012); British Council Grant (2009); Courvoisier ‘The Future 500’ in partnership with The Observer Newspaper (2009); Arts Council England (2007); Deutsche Bank Award (2006); Paul Smith Scholarship at the Royal Academy of Arts (2003–2006); and the Henry Moore Sculpture Fund (2002).
Public Commissions include Sunset Ombre, One Satrio, Mega Kuningan, Jakarta, Indonesia (2022); Pink Moon Rising, Seolhaewon, Gangwon-Do, South Korea (2021); Temple of Flora, Ocean Flower Island, Hainan (2021); Illuminated, 22 Bishopsgate, London, UK (2021); The Grand Tour, Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, UK (2020); The Crossing Mount Daemo, The H Honor Hills, Seoul, South Korea (2021); Poins Square, Jakarta, Indonesia (2020); Horizon to Horizon, Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival, Sharjah (2019); Bright Dawn, Karachi Biennale, Karachi (2019); Compose Motions and Tasted Flight, Honer Hills, Seoul, South Korea (2019); Sunset in Tanah Lot, Facebook, London, UK (2018); Neon Tetra, CreateKX, Camley Street Natural Park, London, UK (2007); Isokon Dreams, London Borough of Camden, Regent’s Park Bridge, London, UK (2007); Line Up, Platform for Art, Piccadilly Tube Station, London, UK (2007). One of Tantra’s most notable public works is a 300-meter-long painted bridge commissioned for the 2012 Olympics, Canary Wharf, London, UK.