Vietnamese Refugees

Widayat (1923-2002) was born in Kutoarjo, central Java and was an officer in the Indonesian army during the Revolution. He was actively involved in making anti-Dutch propaganda posters and organising dramatic performances to garner nationalistic support. Studying at the Academy of Fine Arts of Indonesia in Yogyajarta, Widayat was a student of Hendra Gunawan. He went on to teach, until his retirement in the 1980s. Widayat is best known for his �magic-decorative� style, through the use of decorative elements, and mystical imageries and symbolism associated with Javanese tradition. Better known for his paintings of flora and fauna done in a highly decorative style, 'Vietnamese Refugees' is a sensitive observation of the plight of displaced peoples. Widayat's sympathies are clearly with the Vietnamese, who were forced to leave their country for an uncertain future in faraway lands.