Amrus Natalsya is best known for being the founder of the collective called Bumi Tarung which was part of LEKRA, the cultural wing of the Communist Party. Established in 1961, the collective consisted of artists and like-minded members from the arts like Misbach Tamrin, Djoko Pekik and others. They held their first group exhibition in 1962 at the Cultural Centre in Jakarta, where this particular work was also shown amongst others.Works by members of Bumi Tarung form an important strand of Indonesian art history as the collective was an active proponent of LEKRA’S slogan ‘Politics as Commander’. Thus members of this collective believed in art that should serve the people and affect change in society. Members of this collective chose to highlight the plight of workers, especially labourers and farmers.They practiced a philosophy of ‘turun ke bawah’ or ‘stepping down’ to live amongst the oppressed who were being exploited by the landowners. Therefore 'Mereka Yang Terusir Dari Tanahnya' is a classic example of Amrus’s philosophy, showing the oppression of the rakyat or the common people - the boy in the middle of the painting being poked by the stick on the left, which according to the artist represents the ruthless landowners.
