After the war another Dutch-born artist, Arie Smit, became influential in Balinese art. Smit had been working as a topographer for the Dutch army at the outbreak of the war, was captured and interned in Thailand, After the war's end Smit became an Indonesian citizen and taught painting in Bandung where he worked with UNESCO Children's Art program. Relocating to Ubud in 1956, Arie opened his studio to local children and supplied them with whatever art supplies he could acquire. With his encouragement a new style of naive art quickly caught on, which can be seen in the work of his first pupil, I Nyoman Cakra.
The topics of the painting were once again scenes of typical Balinese life, but this time rendered in bright colors and strong graphic style. The students were encouraged to express themselves freely and many of the paintings do not reflect colors found in nature, but rather inspired only by the painters imagination. The Young Artists style experienced widespread development around Ubud, and is a staple of galleries throughout the region today.
|
