Works in style of famed painters find a niche

By Putu Wirata

DENPASAR (JP): Do you want to buy cheap paintings in the style of Made Wianta, Nyoman Gunarsa, Han Snel or Basuki Abdullah? Go to certain art shops in Ubud and you will find them all.

"The paintings are not counterfeit, the painters only imitate our style. How can we sue them," Made Wianta, 48, one of the Balinese painters whose works are widely imitated, asked.

As an example, he said Dewa Rai opened a gallery in Batuan- Sukawati village and produced paintings in his style. Dewa Rai's works are very close to his style, particularly those works employing dots and geometric figures. However, because Dewa Rai always signs the paintings with his own name, there is no fraud.

Made Wianta's paintings -- especially those rich in dots and geometric figures -- are, in fact, easy to imitate. However, Nyoman Gunarsa's lively and spontaneous style, with his dynamic palette of colors, can also be copied. One of his epigones is Gde Padma. This young painter openly expresses his admiration for Nyoman Gunarsa's style.

"I do not know whether he is angry about it. What is clear is that I like Pak Gunarsa's brushstrokes and palette of colors," he said. Gde Padma's works are displayed in a number of well-known restaurants in Ubud. If you are not an expert you will find it difficult to distinguish which works are Nyoman Gunarsa's and which are Gde Padma's. If there is a difference, it is in the price. Nyoman Gunarsa sells his paintings for tens of million of rupiah, while Gde Padma's works can be purchased for less than Rp 10 million.

In an unnamed art shop on Jl. Raya Ubud, piles of paintings in the style of Nyoman Gunarsa can be found.

It is often difficult to tell which artist is responsible for the works because they have been signed with an impulsive stroke of the brush, giving the impression of vagueness. A 30 by 40 centimeters painting showing a legong dancer with a sharp and penetrating look is priced at Rp 1.5 million.

A youth in the art shop, who claimed to be the owner of the shop, refused to discuss the paintings.

Amid the piles of paintings in the style of Han Snel, Basuki Abdullah or Made Sumadiyasa, with his abstract-expressionist style, traditional paintings of gods and wayang figures in the Ubud style or flora and fauna in the Pengosekan style are easily found in many local art galleries.

Sika Temporary Art Gallery owner Wayan Sika thinks painters with the ability to imitate the style of famous painters are in fact talented artists.

"They certainly have talent and admirable technical ability. They would be even better if they had the knowledge and insight to become visionary painters. However, if they imitate the works of painters which sell well in the market and they are solely tempted by money, they will not develop," he said.

One painter, who refused to disclose his identify, is worried painters adept in imitation could go further; to not only imitate but also counterfeit. But what is the difference?

"Imitating Gunarsa's paintings, for example, is only copying his style, and the painter puts his own name on the painting. But it can be said that he counterfeits the painting if he puts Gunarsa's name on the work," he said. He thinks this could happen because Gunarsa's paintings fetch high prices.

If an imitator meets a counterfeiter, the result is crime. The painter receives an order to imitate a Gunarsa painting, for example, and the client puts Gunarsa's name on the canvass and sells it as a Nyoman Gunarsa work. If collectors and gallery owners are not able to detect the fraud, the counterfeit painting could find its way into international auctions.

"It is unfortunate that in Indonesia there is no organization to evaluate the genuineness of paintings," Jais Hadiana Dargawijaya, owner of Darga Gallery, said. Therefore, collectors or gallery owners without experience can play a transitory role for counterfeit paintings, he said.

Gallery owners or art dealers who suspect a work is counterfeit rarely openly declare their suspicions. They risk being sued by the owner of the painting. "If we doubt the genuineness of a painting, we can recheck with the painter if he is still alive, or with somebody who knows the painter's works. If we are suspicious or very doubtful about the genuineness of a painting, at the most we reject the painting in a polite way, saying we are not interested in the work," Jais said.

Made Wianta shares Jais' opinion. "Although there are people who can imitate or fake paintings, the one who knows the genuineness of a painting is the painter himself." Wianta says he is able to recognize whether a painting is his own work or another person's. "How could somebody fake my paintings. I use a variety of techniques. I put layers of colors on the canvass to create the tone. It is then followed by a sprinkling or brushing of other colors, etc. If the painting is not mine, I can feel it through its composition and vibration of colors," Wianta said.

However, if the painter is dead, difficulties arise. Where can one test a painting by Hendra Gunawan, Affandi, Gunarsa, Han Snel or Nashar? Jais said there should be a professional curator agency with the expertise to determine whether a painting was genuine or counterfeit.