Cinanti Astria Johansjah

Cinanti Astria Johansjah (also known as Keni) is an Indonesian artist from Balikpapan who primarily works with water-based paints, a medium she favors for its ability to convey fluidity and spontaneity. A graduate of Graphic Design at Institut Teknologi Bandung, Keni approaches art as a way to reflect on and reassemble fragments of life. Her works frequently depict animals alongside self-portraits of the artist as a woman, using these figures as allegorical characters to explore human emotions, instincts, and behavior.

In her practice, animals appear as both symbolic and dreamlike presences, creating moments of quiet pause or adempauze—an interlude where reflection and imagination unfold. Through these scenes, Keni questions and sometimes blends the boundaries between human nature and animal traits. She has held several solo exhibitions, including DOWN DOWN DOWN the Rabbit Hole at ROH Projects (2017), Postprandial Somnolence at Lawangwangi Art Space, Bandung (2012), Mamihlapinatapai at Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur (2011), and Gambar Keni at Potluck, Bandung (2007).