Kayu is Lucie Fontaine’s branch in Bali and it is an extension of Bali-based Italian artist Marco Cassani’s artistic practice. It is conceived as ‘social sculptures’ in the form of exhibition and performance, reflecting on the concept of art as a tool to socialize and re-evaluate the territory, the population and society in general. Hosted by The House of Masks and Puppets Setia Darma and Project Etere #1 (PE #1) both in Bali, Kayu’s program embrace interactions between history and contemporary conditions of Bali and Indonesia in general and the artistic practice of contemporary artists, facilitating the exchange of new ways of working with artists, new ways of exhibiting art and visions towards the future. Kayu wishes to contribute in the development and awareness of an international discourse on contemporary art in Indonesia through experimental and conceptual projects.

Since 2021, Kayu has developed a site – specific residency program titled Domesticity – Residency Program that offers an opportunity for reflecting on the concept of the domesticity and for investigating the relationship – or lack thereof – between contemporary art and domestic spaces. Domesticity – Residency Program is located at PE #1 – Contemporary Artisanal Studio Apartment that was carefully designed by PE through the reconfiguration of an existing, disused building nestled within a traditional Balinese compound, owned by a Balinese family that has been living on the land for generations.

Kayu’s mission is based on three main strategies.
The first is to invite artists to create works specifically for the space, for the site and for the context, often in collaboration with local artisans and with companies based in Bali; this strategy has been employed in Kayu’s projects with Luigi Ontani, Radu Comșa, Patrizio Di Massimo and Anthea Hamilton.

The second strategy is to create playful juxtapositions: between Kayu, a contemporary art space, and its locations, The House of Masks and Puppets Setiadarma, which is a house-museum of Indonesian puppets and masks, and a series of abandoned buildings in Bali renovated by Project Etere; between artists based in Indonesia and elsewhere; between what is artistic and what is domestic.

The third and last strategy is to establish new ways of working with artists and new ways of displaying works of art; taking the artist-run-space format as a starting point – Lucie Fontaine’s employee in Bali is a practicing artist – Kayu has become one of the most interesting venues in Indonesia, a very florid art scene with a very unique ecosystem.

Kayu is located in:
The House of Masks and Puppets Setia Darma, Jalan Tegal Bingin, Banjar Tengkulak Tengah Kemenuh, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali.
PE #1 – Contemporary Artisanal Studio Apartment, Jalan Nagasari No.2, (Jl. Penestanan), Ubud, Bali.
For more information about Kayu, please contact: kayu@luciefontaine.com

Lucie Fontaine is an imaginary “employer” conceived by Tel Aviv-based curator, editor, writer and educator Nicola Trezzi, together with Los Angeles-based artist Alice Tomaselli; they both call themselves “employees” of Lucie Fontaine; later on, New York-based writer, curator and studio manager Elena Tavecchia joined the staff, together with artist Marco Cassani, Lucie Fontaine’s employee in Bali. Since its establishment, Lucie Fontaine has invited several artists, mostly Italians, to exhibit in her spaces in Milan, Stockholm, Tokyo and Bali. Shortly after the opening of her space in Milan, Lucie Fontaine was invited to collaborate with other identities and over the years she presented projects at Iaspis in Stockholm, Artport in Tel Aviv, Galeria Sabot in Cluj-Napoca (Romania), T293 in Naples, The Green Gallery in Milwaukee and The Suburban in Chicago (both in United States), Marianne Boesky Gallery in New York, Galerie Perrotin in Paris, Various Small Fires and Anat Ebgi, both in Los Angeles, and Fruit and Flower Deli in Stockholm. She has also been invited to group exhibitions, festivals and events in various institutions.
For more information about Lucie Fontaine, please contact: employee@luciefontaine.com