Two Indonesian photographers whose work explores long-term social and environmental realities have been named the inaugural recipients of the FOTO Bali Award, an annual award presented by Nuanu Social Fund (NSF) and initiated by FOTO Bali Festival, the international photography festival launched by Nuanu Creative City.
Balinese photographer Rudi Waisnawa and documentarian Irene Barlian were selected from nearly 100 applications, with each recipient receiving IDR 22 million to support their ongoing photographic practice. Unlike project-based grants, the award provides financial support without requiring recipients to produce a new project, recognizing the sustained work behind long-term documentary practices.
“This year’s festival asked what remains after an image is made. For photographers like Rudi and Irene, what remains is years of work that is rarely paid for and too easily overlooked,” said Kelsang Dolma, Founding Director of the FOTO Bali Award and FOTO Bali Festival.
Photography As A Record Of Social Realities
Waisnawa’s Hope and Freedom, under the category A Work Rooted in and Dedicated to Bali, documents the lives of people living with mental health conditions. Since 2014, he has used photography as a tool to challenge stigma and bring greater visibility to people whose experiences are often overlooked. The project has since developed into a photobook created with Nicky Hogan.
“I hope this recognition brings greater visibility and understanding to people living with mental health conditions, whose stories deserve to be heard with dignity,” Waisnawa said.
Meanwhile, Barlian’s Land of the Sea, recognized under Works that Highlight Indonesian Realities Outside Bali, has documented communities experiencing the direct effects of climate change across Indonesia since 2020. Supported by the National Geographic Society, the ongoing project has been shortlisted for the 2022 Leica Oskar Barnack Award and exhibited at Objectifs in Singapore.
Supporting Long-Term Photographic Practice
The award’s two categories were judged equally by Ng Swan Ti, Managing Director of PannaFoto Institute; contemporary art collector Dr. Wiyu Wahono; and photographer and academic I Made Bayu Pramana of the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Bali. Entries were assessed based on artistic strength, visual approach, conceptual depth, and narrative coherence.
“Nuanu Social Fund was built around humanity and nature, and these two works sit right at that intersection,” said Ida Ayu Astari Prada, Head of Nuanu Social Fund.
Founded in 2025, FOTO Bali Festival has quickly developed into a platform connecting Indonesian and international photography. Its 2026 edition, AFTERIMAGE, received nearly 700 submissions from more than 80 countries, featured 38 practitioners from 24 countries, and welcomed almost 25,000 visitors.