Bali Arts and Crafts -- Foreign Artists in Bali

^{Arie
Smit was a soldier in the Dutch Colonial Army before the war who knew
a good thing when he saw it. Settling in Ubud, Bali in 1965 he is often
acclaimed the father of the "young Artists School", a rather
dubious movement which had a promising beginning but ended up as one
of the worst in Bali. Much to his credit and despite praise for his
role, he detached himself from the Young Artists before they aged. By
applying for Indonesia citizenship in 1951, Arie managed to avoid being
expelled with his friends, Sonnega and Bonnet, in 1957. He regularly
wrote to Bonnet, to keep him informed of developments, and to a certain
extent assumed his role in Ubud after his departure.}^{Today Smit works under the patronage
of Pande Suteja Neka and has achieved great success with regular exhibitions
in Jakarta and two books dedicated to his art. With a bright palate
his landscapes often echo Cezanne. His portraits could be better compared
to Gauguin or Theo Meier, whom he knew well. The best collection of
his work is to be seen in the Museum Neka.}