Rizibë: ISLE PROMISE - Only Count The Days That Are Bright

So, back in early January 2024, we started moving from our old studio to Ruang Arta Derau (with the moniker RAD)—and right around that time, we had the absolute pleasure of hosting Rizibë, aka Mriz Sidah, in our Residency Unit.

From March to May 2024, Rizibë settled in as our resident artist, diving deep into his creative process and teaming up with some local artisans to bring his ideas to life. His residency here wasn’t all smooth sailing—he had to navigate Nyepi, which put a temporary pause on his explorations, and, well, let’s just say our move to the new studio space wasn’t exactly without its challenges. But honestly? We were blown away by how he rolled with it all. Despite the hiccups, Rizibë stayed focused and managed to create some stunning work during his stay.

But here’s the thing: for Rizibë, this residency wasn’t just about producing pieces. It’s about the journey. He’s all about sharing his process and the stories behind his work, which is why he wants to highlight his new body of work and showcase his creative journey through an exhibition.

Watching Rizibë’s creative process and helping him bring his exhibition to life, we got a front-row seat to his excitement, his inner struggles, and the incredible collaboration with many artisans across Bali. We somewhat see him as this deeply hopeful person, carrying the weight of life’s challenges while still finding a way to dance through it all. Honestly, seeing his process and progress has been such a joy.  All of this makes us think; how can someone survive without hope? Through his exhibition "Isle Promise (Only Count the Hours That Are Bright)," Rizibë shows us that we simply cannot.

The Influence of Heritage

Born into a rich mix of Bugis, Javanese, Indian, Thai, and South Asian roots, Singaporean artist Rizibë brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to his work. His art blurs the lines between memory, identity, and history, using various mediums to tell stories that feel both personal yet universal.

Rizibë’s South and Southeast Asian heritage plays a role in shaping his artistic views. From the intricate details of Indian textiles to the philosophical depth often seen in South Asian art, his work carries a sense of cultural richness. This influence allowed him to expose the craft and details of decorative and intricate visuals that rooted in Southeast Asia influences. His familiarity with textile and fabric also comes from the background of diasporic cultures as his venture towards creativity also uses a lot of fabric—especially in his "Mask" series, which quite stands out from his other series. 

The Mask series was born during the pandemic, a time when masks became a universal part of daily life. But Rizibë’s take on them is playful and unexpected—his masks feel like they’re preparing to dive into something, almost as if they’re on the edge of transformation. Through this series, it seems like he’s digging into the personal significance of masks and the metaphors they carry.

Mask: Plunger I, 45x58cm, Cotton, embroidery, foamcore, 2024

The displays at Ruang Arta Derau for “Mask” series

From this Mask series, we can see that he doesn’t let heritage define him. Instead, he allows it to guide his explorations and his perspective of his life experiences, blending traditional influences with modern techniques and materials–which honestly makes perfect sense given his background in advertising and graphic design. This unique mix gives his art this cool duality—it feels like a conversation between deeply personal introspection and a broader, more topical moment. It’s like he’s weaving together the past and the present, the personal and the universal, all in one go.

"Isle Promise": A Space for Optimism

Rizibë’s solo exhibition "Isle Promise (Only Count the Hours That Are Bright)" is all about creating moments of positivity and balance. Self-affirmations turned into art, Rizibë explores the idea of hope as a way to navigate life’s ups and downs, also reflecting from his experience during the pandemic era. 

Rizibë’s approach to exhibitions is pretty unique—his solo shows always seem to revolve around places or events. Whether it’s Poolympics (2021), Villa Sun Plaza (2014), or Prose Mountain Revue (?), his naming style reflects his diaspora background and the influence of his travels during his formative years. These experiences add a playful, positive twist to his work, which you can see in his signature style: simple yet layered linework that feels both effortless and deeply thoughtful.

For his exhibition at RAD, Rizibë pours all these experiences into a body of work that’s filled with tropical dreams, soft gestures, and blurred lines. The visuals are layered, often with a touch of wordplay, creating this light, almost floating vibe due it’s simple line depiction. Through it all, we’re sure that you can feel his optimistic take on island life—like he’s inviting us to step into a world where everything feels a little softer, a little brighter, and a lot more focused on the essential things.

The Isle Promise collection’s affirmations, presented in a variety of mediums, resonate with many audiences. In his time during the pandemic, he touched once again his musicality. Rizibe once worked as a graphic designer for a club in Singapore, Zouk, now permanently closed. Many of this series of affirmations were inspired by his music, lyricism, and also the organic display will add the outward rhythm on it. One of the most memorable pieces from this collection is "Aubade II," a fabric artwork made from foam, and also raw and dyed cotton. The piece features the words from his song lyrics, “let the constellations of stars light your way out of the dark xx,” sewn into its surface. 

Aubede II, 100x100cm, Raw cotton, dyed cotton, foamcore, 2023

It’s a quiet yet powerful reminder of how Rizibë’s work connects personal stories with universal themes of hope, resilience, and the nature of the universe. There’s this hopeful yet melancholic vibe to his work that feels so relatable. It taps into those shared longings we all have—for optimism, for moments of reflection, and for finding light even in our darkest hours. The mix of organic visuals and appliqué techniques also gives his fabric pieces a unique texture and feel, setting them apart from his other works.

The Correlation Between: Medium Extended

To extend an artist’s ideas, it sometimes takes a whole village to help. This conversation between artisans and the artist often relates deeply to the Art and Craft Movement, coined by John Ruskin and William Morris in England, which emphasized that creating beautiful things stems from handmade craftsmanship rather than machines and mass production. Rizibë’s approach is no different; he values the human touch and the unique stories that artisans bring to his work. As a designer who is used to collaboration, Rizibë handpicks each artisan he works with, often feeling that a project could go even further if he explores new partnerships or techniques. It’s this openness to experimentation and connection that keeps his work fresh and deeply rooted in craftsmanship.

Delegating his ideas to artisans isn’t just about collaboration—it’s also a matter of control. It takes a lot of skill, back-and-forth discussions, and, in the end, some good old-fashioned compromise to get things just right. Turning an idea into something real is a group effort, and Rizibë feels like Bali has given him the perfect team to make it happen. Over time, he’s put together a crew of seamstresses, welders, and frame makers who help bring his vision to life for this exhibition.

He makes sure that every line that he creates in papers can be made in another medium he chooses but with some added twist to involve the artisans' own styles. In his drawing series, particularly the smaller pieces, he uses deep blue ink to create simple, clean lines that show beach scenes. In his welded pieces, he turns those same lines into words. The link between the two shows how he balances letting go of control—letting others add their touch—while still staying true to his own style and the artisans’ skills.

Quippers I, 50x32.5cm, Acrylic on paper, 2024

Sounds Like Nobody Else,40x42cm, Spray painted welded steel, 2023

No buts about it, throughout his residency, Rizibë pushed boundaries by experimenting with textiles, wires, and unconventional materials. These pieces reflect the spirit of exploration that RAD fosters, where artists are encouraged to rethink their dimensions, processes, and narratives. We can say that in a way, this residency became a creative laboratory for Rizib

A Pivotal Residency

Rizibë’s 2024 residency at RAD wasn’t just an artistic chapter; it was a perfect meeting of values and vision—kind of a match made in heaven, so to speak.

Known for its mission to create a space where "artists of all disciplines and backgrounds can delve into uncharted territories of their creativity—exploring, experimenting, and crafting narratives that communicate their distinct voices," RAD became the perfect incubator for Rizibë’s artistic exploration.

With our focus on cultural diversity and inclusion, the residency gave Rizibë the perfect space to dive into his interdisciplinary style and celebrate his mixed heritage. His art, which mixes personal stories with bigger cultural themes, fits right in with our goal of embracing diversity—not just in terms of where people come from, but also in the way they think and express themselves.

Writer Tiarama, who also curated this exhibition, summarized this synergy by stating, “The interplay of dimensions and the placement of Isle Promise within Ruang Arta Derau offers an experience of exploring and finding balance at different stages. Each work contributes dynamically to the overall reflection, cultivating optimism without diminishing its meaning or function.”

No less important and exciting, on the same day as his opening, we also collab with Gurat Institute—art community focused on the narrative of Bali visual art archive to host artist talk event with Rizibë. Moderated by Savitri Sastrawan (don’t forget to check out her Instagram—she’s a talented art writer and researcher), one of the member of Gurat Institute. The talk, called Ngorte Geles (that’s Balinese for “telling and reading”), gave us the inside coop on Rizibë’s creative process, his inspirations, and the ideas behind his exhibition. Savitri also highlights how Rizibë’s unique transcultural background and the dynamics of his heritage add a fascinating layer to his art. Rizibë totally agree with Savitri’s take on Bali being a creative hub since way back in the 17th century—welcoming artists from everywhere to come, create, and crush it.

So, it’s no shocker that his residency nails exactly what we’re all about at RAD. Diversity? Check. Creativity? Double check. And that special kind of storytelling magic that hits you right in the feels? Hundred percent check.

Hope as Affirmations, Affirmations as Hope

Rizibë’s art isn’t just something to look at—it’s something to feel. His ability to weave together cultural identity, personal affirmations, and universal themes of hope makes his work feel honest, vulnerable, and hits you right in your feelings.

His residency here was more than just a creative chapter; it was a time of growth, reflection, and experimentation. Through his exhibition "Isle Promise" and works like "Aubade II," Rizibë reminds us that hope isn’t a fleeting emotion—it’s a way to survive. It’s something we practice, and something we share.

We can confidently say that Rizibë’s journey is far from over, but with his exhibition at RAD, he’s serving up the perfect mix of bold hope and grounded optimism that—considering how unpredictable life’s twists and turns have been the last couple of years—feels both timely and timeless.