Hendra Gunawan (1918 - 1983) was born in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia . He was a student of both Wahdi Sumanta and Affandi. Gunawan was active in various artist groups including Kelompok Lima (Group of Five) in Bandung and Lembaga Kebudajaan Rakjat of the Indonesian Communist Party. His involvement in the latter led to his imprisonment without trial in 1965. He painted many of his works during his imprisonment which often portrayed the daily lives of common people with a sense of optimism, through his use of bright intense colours. After his release from prison in 1978, he moved to Bali where he lived until his death in 1983.