<![CDATA[The poster for the Bali Arts Festival (Pesta Kesenian Bali/PKB) XLVIII 2026 adopts the theme “Atma Kerthi: Jiwa Sidha Parisudha,” posing a significant challenge for translating abstract theological concepts into contemporary visual media. This study examines the semiotic relationship between the narrative fragment of Sutasoma and the philosophical essence of Atma Kerthi through visual communication elements. A descriptive qualitative method is employed, using Roland Barthes’ semiotic framework—denotation, connotation, and myth—and supported by visual artifact analysis to deconstruct its formal elements. The findings reveal that at the denotative level, the poster establishes a binary opposition between the serene figure of Sutasoma and the dynamic mythological dragon. Connotatively, Sutasoma’s gesture of surrender signifies the subjugation of the ego (panyucian atma), while the dominant red background functions as a theological metaphor for Agni (sacred fire) as an instrument of spiritual purification rather than mere aesthetic courage. At the mythological level, the composition constructs a narrative of a liminal journey toward cosmic unity, repositioning classical literature as a relevant moral compass in modernity. This research concludes that the poster serves as a space for visual dialectics, successfully performing a transliteration of sacred values into a contemporary design framework. This study contributes a new paradigm in understanding visual hybridity, where traditional iconography and modern aesthetics negotiate to maintain cultural identity within global communication contexts.]]>
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