Sophi Odling
Is our artist line-up for Tangi Instervention Program 2024
Sophi Odling is an Australian artist who paints large-scale murals around the globe. Her work focuses on uncovering the beauty within the chaos of everyday life. Through vivid narratives, she reflects on human behavior, environments, and cultures encountered during her travels.
Born in 1983 in Seoul, South Korea, Sophi grew up in Sydney, Australia, where she currently lives and works. In 2005, she completed her BFA at UNSW College of Fine Arts. Her murals can be seen across Europe, America, Asia, and Australia.
Sophi presents her work to celebrate cultural diversity, borderless minds, and the innocence of youth. By translating human energy and everyday interactions into vibrant large-scale visuals, she creates murals that engage communities, inspire reflection, and bring a sense of shared experience across cultures.
Sophi Odling is one of the invited international artists for Tangi 2024. Held from 13–19 May 2024 in Desa Pancasari, Buleleng, the festival shifted focus from Bali’s coastal and urban highlights to its northern mountain region. With cool climate, lush green landscapes, and calm lakeside surroundings, Pancasari provided a refreshing backdrop for both artists and the local community.
The 2024 edition carried the theme “SEKALA”, a Balinese concept referring to the tangible, visible world. Interpreted through murals, performances, and workshops, the theme encouraged artists to explore real forms of connection — between tradition and contemporary expression, between locals and internationals, and between individual creativity and collective experience.
The festival program featured mural painting, graffiti jams, children’s workshops, music, and community gatherings. Sophi’s participation added her distinct perspective, celebrating cultural diversity and engaging with the local community through her creative process.
When Tangi invited Sophi Odling, it promised a meaningful collaboration. This was not her first time visiting Bali; she is familiar with Balinese culture and always happy to return. Her time in Desa Pancasari was marked by connection and mutual respect. Local residents welcomed her warmly, and she approached the community with kindness and openness.
Many neighborhood children spent time at her mural wall, observing her process and learning about her techniques. Sophi embraced their curiosity, explaining her methods and encouraging them to engage creatively.
Her mural, “The Perfect Storm”, captures this energy. Inspired by the playful chaos of the children at her wall, the piece channels their curiosity, movement, and vibrant personalities into a dynamic composition. While the imagery is lively and seemingly chaotic, there is harmony in the interaction of colors and shapes — reflecting the festival’s SEKALA theme and the balance found in the tangible, everyday connections of village life.
Through her work, Sophi transforms the mural into a space of shared experience, celebrating cultural diversity, youthful energy, and human connection. Her process exemplifies the festival’s spirit of collaboration and exploration, turning the wall into a living reflection of community and creativity.