I Wayan Upadana was born in Tabanan, Bali, and graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Indonesia Institute of the Arts (ISI) Yogyakarta in 2008. His academic training in sculpture provided a strong foundation in form and material, which he has continued to expand through conceptual experimentation. Rooted in Balinese culture yet shaped by Yogyakarta’s critical art environment, Upadana’s practice explores the intersection between ritual, memory, and contemporary identity. Upadana’s sculptural and installation works reinterpret Balinese cultural symbols through the lens of modern materiality. 

His practice is also deeply reflective of temporality and transformation. Many of his works juxtapose lightness and weight, transparency and solidity, echoing the duality central to Balinese philosophy (Rwa Bhineda, the balance of opposites). The human figure, often fragmented or translucent, becomes a metaphor for the negotiation between heritage and modern identity. Upadana’s approach is both meditative and analytical, balancing reverence for his cultural roots with a critical awareness of modern realities. Upadana’s works have been exhibited widely across Indonesia and Australia, including the National Gallery of Indonesia, Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta, and Redbase Foundation, and Fremantle Art Centre in Western Australia.