Cai Xiuya (Cai Siew Ya) was one of the early graduates of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. From the 1950-the 1960s, the academy invited alums to fill teaching positions, and Cai was one of them. As a teacher and student of NAFA, his characteristic style can be described agile and academic, as shown in these two works likely of the same period.
Balinese Lady shows a dancer at rest, casually seated on a bench. She might either be posing or waiting for her time to perform. Her costume is typical for the Balinese legong dance. Her long sleeves indicate that she might be a performer for a ‘wali’ or sacred dance, as the long sleeves are usually worn as a sign of respect inside sacred grounds, such as a temple. The ‘gelang kana’ of bangles and armbands are still visible over the sleeves, as these are essential adornments representing the control of the arm and hand movements during the legong. The watercolour is simple and clear with details, imparting a sense of realism to the scene.
