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Artaku Gallery Of Indonesian Paintings |
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The Island of Java |
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In early Indonesia, painting was a part of religious or ritualistic activities rather than a separate art entity. The art of painting similar to that of the Western way only began under the Dutch's influence in the 19th century. At that time, a Javanese aristocrat, Raden Saleh, became the first Indonesian to study art in Europe and to paint in the European tradition. Since then, many Javanese artists followed his footsteps. Of course, Raden Saleh is now a legend and his outstanding works are recognized by the international art community. At the present day, not only Indonesian artists are familiar with Western techniques and media, they are applying styles of well-known Western masters on themes from the rich native culture to create their own contemporary works. They use ancient representations, old myths and epics and recreate them. Thereby bringing the Indonesian art up to new high. With the exception of their Balinese counterparts, the Javanese artists thus by far excel in their own development, thanks to the rich Javanese cultural heritage as well as the existence of excellent art schools in Yogyakarta, Bandung and later Jakarta. The artists may simply explore a wide variety of subjects within the framework of the Javanese value, culture, tradition and mythology. Continuously mixing Western technique and style with Eastern imagery and content.
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