Budi Agung Kuswara (Kabul) was born in Bali in 1982 and had graduated in a Bachelor in Fine Art from Indonesia Institute of the Art, in Yogyakarta. His paintings first caught the attention of curators in his home ground and Kabul was invited to exhibit at the Bali Museum and Neka Art Museum.
Upon showcasing his first solo exhibition “i.self” at Komaneka Fine Art Gallery in 2009, he was headhunted by regional gallery Valentine Willie Fine Art and was presented for the “3 Young Contemporaries” program as one of the most cutting edge young contemporary artists in Southeast Asia. His works have been exhibited in various countries around the world; from San Francisco, Fukuoka to Kuala Lumpur. Kabul painting style has been categorized as ‘contemporary’, combining figures of animals and famous persons with eclectic blends of eye-catching neon colors. He is also known to create paintings based on his Balinese traditional root.
Together with his friend, the aspiring female photographer, Mintio, Kabul also founded Ketemu Project in 2011 as a visual art collective focused on social engagement through art. As one of the programs of Ketemu, Kabul initiated the Schizofriends Art Movement, dedicated to support schizophrenia people to embrace their talent with group art expression and capability development opportunities.