Amrus Natalsya

Amrus Natalsya (October 21, 1933 – January 31, 2024) was an Indonesian poet, painter, and wood sculpture artist. He enrolled in the Indonesian Academy of Fine Arts in Yogyakarta in 1954. At a student exhibition in the Sonobudoyo Museum, his wood sculpture "Seorang buta yang terlupakan" was purchased by President Soekarno. In the same year, in Bandung, he participated in an exhibition coinciding with the Asian-African Conference, where he showcased his latest work, "Tangisan yang tak terengar," which was praised by American art critics. In 1957, he held his first solo exhibition in Jakarta, presenting a four-meter-tall wood sculpture. In 1959, along with Batara Lubis and cartoonist A. Sibarani, he represented Indonesia at the International Youth Week in Vienna. On their way back to Indonesia, they visited the Soviet Union and China. The following year, he went to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the invitation of the mayor to create a wooden panel with calligraphy. In 1960, at a student exhibition in Jakarta, he exhibited his paintings on canvas. Once again, he caught Soekarno's attention, who then purchased his painting titled "Teman Temanku." In 1961, along with other students (Misbach Tamrin, Kuslan Budiman, Adrianus Gumelar, and others), he founded the "Bumi Tarung" art workshop in Jakarta. At the same time, he was involved in the activities of the People's Cultural Institution (Lekra), which was under the auspices of the Communist Party of Indonesia.