Ubud’s Artists Love to paint the Environment

Ubud lies 25 Km east of Denpasar and is known as the village of arts. Here you can find many art museums such as Neka Museum, ARMA Museum, Antonio Blanco Museum, Pendet Museum, and Puri Lukisan Museum. Most of those museums show classical and modern paintings. However only Pendet Museum has sculpture works.

Ubud has been a popular destination for tourists for many years. Many artists from all over the world have stayed or lived in Ubud to concentrate on their art, such as Rudolf Bonet, Donald Friend, Hofker, Chang Fee-Ming, Paul Nagano, Paul Husner, Iyama Tadayuki, Miguel Covarrubias, Theo Meier, Jean Picasse, Louise Garret Koke, Symon, and many more.
Ubud has been a home for artists since the birth of Pita Maha Painter group that was founded by R. Bonet and Walter Spies. This art group consisted of sculptures and painters although later predominantly painters. Actually, before Pita Maha was formed there were still many artists in Ubud. However they were more focused on puppet painting. The founding of Pita Maha, gave a lot of guidance for those new painters and from them came the start of a unique Ubud painting style.
This Ubud painting style was later known as modern painting. This is because the painter used the perspective that the object, which is furthest away should be painted smaller than the closer object. Besides that, they also began painting the human body. Another characteristic of the style in Ubud is paintings of beautiful scenery
One of the most striking elements of the painting style of Ubud is the harmonic unity between humans and the environment. That harmonic relationship is portrayed well, and even though the modern elements are already known, the technique used follows a more traditional method. The members of Pita Maha group are I Gusti Nyoma Lempad, I Gusti Raka Turas, Gusti Ketut Kobot, Ida Bagus Made, I Ketut Tungeh, Anak Agung Gede Sobrat, and more.
There is also “Young Artists” of Panestan Village that was founded by Arie Smit (painter). It is named “Young Artists” because the painters are all children. The children of that village were taught and educated about painting by Arie Smit. After they grew up, they kept painting using a child like style. The themes of their paintings are similar to the themes of the Pita Maha artists.
Except Lempad, most of the works of Pita Maha and “Young Artists” contain some human element and nature, such as trees, rivers, and animals in the background, unified on canvas to create a tranquil picture. (Gung Man)

Gung Wayan Tjidra

Desa Padang Tegal, Ubud, famous for its painters such as the late A.A. Gede Sobrat, A.A Raka Puja and Gusti Nyoman Jati, are the representatives of Ubud’s style of painting. These artists, the creators of the traditional Padang Tegal paintings depicting Bali’s flora and fauna, are famous nationally and internationally as well as throughout Bali.

Gung Wayan Tjidra is an educated artist who was born in Kerambitan Village, Tabanan in 1936. In the beginning, he used traditional painting techniques of puppet motifs, following that he continued his studies in The Art Painting Department at The Institute of Technology in Bandung, West Java. When he returned his painting style had totally changed. Now, he often paints traditional Balinese pictures such as sesajen (offering) but using western techniques.
Besides being a painter, Gung Wayan Tjidera is also a teacher. He has been a lecturer for an Art of Painting and Sculpturing Study Program at Udayana University, Denpasar. He has his own studio in his village called Kopang studio, where he shares his knowledge with people who are fond of painting.
During his life, Gung Wayan Tjidra has had many exhibitions, even as far as Japan. He also works for Indonesian Contemporary Art in USA (1990-1991). Now, he is a lecturer in Art Painting and Sculpture Department at IKIP PGRI Bali (Denpasar). Suteja Neka
Direktur of Dharma Seni Art Foundation which manages the Neka Art Museum, Ubud-Bali