Sotheby’s Hong Kong presents Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings Spring Sales

HONG KONG.- Sotheby’s Hong Kong presents 187 lots of Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Art estimated in excess of HK$77 million / US$9.9 million* in two sales on 5 and 6 April during its Spring 2014 Sale Series. At Modern and Contemporary Asian Art – Evening Sale on 5 April, sixteen exceptional works by the region’s most iconic artists will be offered, including works by modern masters S. Sudjojono, Sudjana Kerton, Affandi, Cheong Soo Pieng, Romauldo F. Locatelli as well as leading contemporary artists Ronald Ventura, I Nyoman Masriadi and Ay Tjoe Christine, many of which are fresh to the market. On 6 April, the Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings Day Sale will bring to the market 171 distinctive works that are exemplary of the rich and vibrant cultures and heritage of Southeast Asia.

MOK Kim Chuan, Sotheby’s Head of Southeast Asian Paintings Department, said: “Sotheby’s achieved the best-ever result for a sale of the category in October 2013 realising over HK$200 million in total. This not only attests Southeast Asian Art’s growing recognition among collectors worldwide, but also reinforces Sotheby’s leading position in this market, which enables us to source some of the finest properties for our Spring sale this April.

“The Evening Sale on 5 April will offer works of the highest calibre, led by an exceptionally strong line-up of modern masterpieces that are rare and fresh to the market with impeccable provenance. Twelve out of thirteen modern works offered at the Evening Sale have never ever been auctioned. Headlining the sale is a rare allegorical painting of exceptional quality by S. Sudjojono entitled Pasukan Kita Yang Dipimpin Pangeran Diponegoro (Our Soldiers Led Under Prince Diponegoro). It is one of the two paintings by Sudjojono depicting Indonesian national hero Prince Diponegoro, a subject matter that is rarely seen in the artist’s oeuvre. It is an immense privilege for Sotheby’s to be entrusted with such an important painting that is set to attract intense bidding by buyers from all over the world.”

S. Sudjojono (1914 – 1986), Pasukan Kita Yang Dipimpin Pangeran Diponegoro (Our Soldiers Led Under Prince Diponegoro), 1979, Oil on Canvas, 100 x 199.5 cm. Estimated in excess of HK$20 million / US$2.5 million. Photo: Sotheby’s.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART – EVENING SALE
(5 APRIL)
INDONESIA  MODERN
S. Sudjojono (1914 – 1986)
Pasukan Kita Yang Dipimpin Pangeran Diponegoro (Our Soldiers Led Under Prince Diponegoro)
1979, Oil on Canvas, 100 x 199.5 cm
Estimated in excess of HK$20 million / US$2.5 million
Recognised as the Father of Indonesian Modern Art, S. Sudjojono’s oeuvre was largely influenced by his nationalistic ideals and patriotic responsibilities. Executed in 1979, the present work, Pasukan Kita Yang Dipimpin Pangeran Diponoegoro (Our Soldiers Led Under Prince Diponegoro), demonstrates the magnitude of Sudjojono’s creative vision and political dogma through the depiction of the country’s legendary hero, Prince Diponegoro, as well as his military troops’ victory against the Dutch colonial soldiers during the Java war (1825 – 1830). The Indonesia that Sudjojono knew was experiencing an identity crisis for the country was locked in a struggle between foreign influences and revolutionary ideals. By drawing parallels between the Dutch colonialists with the local Indonesian government, Sudjojono’s painting turns into a social commentary about the power of human faith amidst political and emotional tyranny. Painted with energy, passion and hope, Pasukan Kita Yang Dipimpin Pangeran Diponegoro (Our Soldiers Led Under Prince Diponegoro) expresses the artist’s pride and devotion to his homeland. Acquired directly from the artist, this painting will be offered at auction for the first time.

Sudjana Kerton (1922 – 1994)
Village Life
1981, Oil on Canvas, 150 x 200.5 cm
Est. HK$ 5 – 7 million / US$645,000 – 905,000
Village Life is an iconic piece by modern Indonesian artist Sudjana Kerton who is admired for his charming and poetical themes. It is one of the largest oil-on-canvas works by the artist that has ever come to auction, and Sotheby’s is privileged to present it to the public for the first time this Spring. Painted in 1981, during the most seminal period of the artist’s oeuvre, Village Life portrays the daily lives of the local villagers. Works by Kerton from this period are infused with a strong sense of communal friendliness, sincerity and rural simplicity, and the artist’s vision of Indonesia’s rakyat kecil (common community) is exemplified in the present work. By highlighting the people on such a grand scale, Kerton has transformed ordinary existence into a celebration of human connections, which reaffirms the artist’s love and respect for his country.

Affandi (1907 – 1990)
Self Portrait
1968, Oil on Canvas, 129.5 x 97.5 cm
Est. HK$1.8 – 2.5 million / US$233,000 – 323,000
Throughout his career Affandi found solace in self-portraiture as a way to observe human existence through his own studied paradigms. Executed in 1968, Self Portrait is one of the most dynamic works from the artist’s oeuvre. The impastos on the surface form a high level of lyricism, and the canvas is brought to life with merely five colors: red, green yellow, white and black. The powerful and expressionistic Self Portrait celebrates the power of the mind and the human spirit, and is thus a story of the artist’s life through the reflection of his own self-portrait.

SINGAPORE  MODERN
Cheong Soo Pieng (1917 – 1983)
Malay Life
1981, Oil on Canvas, 82 x 109.5 cm
Est. HK$1 – 1.5 million / US$129,000 – 194,000
Sotheby’s is thrilled to present Malay Life, a spectacular oil-on-canvas work by Cheong Soo Pieng acquired directly from the artist, which will make its auction debut this season. Recognised as one of the most prominent pioneers of modern Singaporean art, Cheong’s visions of Southeast Asia have become integral to the country’s cultural heritage and artistic identity. Executed in 1981 – at the finale of Cheong’s artistic career, Malay Life recalls the familiar subject of the artist’s well-known Bali and Sarawak female, but the sense of quietude in the painting reflects the mature phase of his life. Reinvigorating the repertoire was perhaps a way to reminisce and rekindle his love for Nanyang and to reaffirm his heritage. The present work is a peaceful rendition of a lost era. The beautifully stylised figures epitomise Cheong’s praise for a distinctive Southeast Asian charm, while showcasing an eclectic style that recalls a gamut of influences from the East and the West.

INDO-EUROPE  MODERN
Romualdo F. Locatelli (1905 – 1943)
Portrait of a Nude
Circa 1940s, Oil on Canvas, 136.5 x 94 cm
Est. HK$1.6 – 2.5 million / US$207,000 – 323,000
Italian painter Romualdo F. Locatelli’s sojourn in Dutch East Indies in the late 1930s is often described as the most liberating and important period of his career. Portrait of a Nude is a rare example from the artist’s acclaimed Bali period, which depicts a young Balinese girl in repose and is demonstrative of the Orientalist-inspired motifs that the artist favoured from the late 1930s and onwards. The nymph-like girl touches the audience’s emotions and expresses the artist’s admiration for a world that was not his own. It is a testimony to Locatelli’s creative legacy as a European artist in Southeast Asia, and an intimate portrayal of a life lived elsewhere.

THE PHILIPPINES  CONTEMPORARY
Ronald Ventura (b. 1973)
Gateway
2013, Oil on Canvas, 244 x 183 cm
Est. HK$680,000 – 980,000 / US$88,000 – 127,000
The latest work by Ronald Ventura entitled Gateway perfectly illustrates the various dispositions of his art. The imagery which occupies the entire visual field consists of an enormous sharp-toothed lion that holds captive in its mouth a finely crafted children’s carousel, complete with brightly caparisoned horses turning around in circular rhythm – indeed both a magical, as well as frightening sight. Ventura’s powerful images reveal deep insights that ultimately challenge viewers to find their human truth.

SPECIALLY CURATED SECTION: “ABSTRACTION: BEYOND CHINA”
Abstract art has always been an influential force to both Eastern and Western artists. Sotheby’s is pleased to present in the Evening Sale Abstraction: Beyond China, a specially curated section devoted to six Asian artists who have explored and redefined the boundaries of abstract art on their own terms, among which include Filipino artist Fernando Zobel, Singaporean artist Chen Wen Hsi and Indonesian artist Ay Tjoe Christine.

Ay Tjoe Christine (b. 1973)
Layer as a Hiding Place
2013, Oil on Canvas, 180 x 200 cm
Est. HK$480,000 – 680,000 / US$62,000 – 88,000
A work of stunning complexity and intellectual foundation, Layer as a Hiding Place is a superb example of Ay Tjoe Christine’s emphasis on the narration of her spiritual quest. The composition pulsates with a special rhythm, amidst the vibrant shades of red that symbolise confidence, courage, vitality, love and beauty. By using repetition as means to fill in the spaces in between the paint layers, the artist has created an intricate labyrinth of textures and colors that engages the audience. Layer as a Hiding Place conveys with artistic precision the perfect concerto of colours, textures, mood and emotions, and ultimately stands out as a significant piece from the artist’s oeuvre.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY SOUTHEAST ASIAN PANITINGS DAY SALE (6 APRIL)
INDONESIA  MODERN
Sudjana Kerton (1922–1994)
Punk Rock
1984, Oil on Canvas, 140 x 120 cm
Est. HK$1.2 – 1.8 million / US$155,000 – 233,000
Punk Rock was created after Sudjana Kerton returned from his sojourn in New York. It is a fascinating work from Kerton, who till then was largely defined as a patriotic artist with his oeuvre grounded in Indonesia’s iconography. The present work breaks down these notions by celebrating the American punk youth culture, as revered by the artist for their diversity and revolutionary ideals, all of which is distinctly captured in the vibrant narrative. A visual discourse of a city where he was seen as a foreigner, Punk Rock subsequently transforms into a personal memory of Kerton’s time as stranger in a strange land.

THE PHILIPPINES  MODERN
Felix Martinez (1859-1907)
Conversations by the Window
1898, Oil on Canvas, 54.5 x 86.5cm
Est. HK$400,000 – 600,000 / US$52,000 – 77,500
Conversations by the Window is demonstrative of Felix Martinez’s classical Western art education, and yet is distinctly Filipino in time and place. Unlike his contemporaries, Martinez’s oeuvre was largely inspired by landscapes and still life portraits. In this light, the present work is an unusual piece since the composition – figuration in a setting – is very rare in the artist’s oeuvre. The painting is a depiction of another era, a quiet moment of repose that is acted out by three individuals. The details of the fan and newspaper in the painting are all signs of education and prestige which provide perspective into an aspect of Filipino society. It is a work that transcends history to ultimately become a pictorial representation of the country’s past.

VIETNAM  MODERN
Pham Hau (1903-1995)
View of a Famous Old Pagoda’s Landscape in North Vietnam
Circa 1934
Lacquer on Wood, in 6 parts;
Each: 104 x 30.5 cm; Overall: 104 x 183 cm
Est. HK$350,000 – 550,000 / US$45,200 – 71,000
Pham Hau is a Vietnamese lacquer artist revered for his naturalist depictions of the country’s landscape. Created circa 1934, the six-screen lacquer panel – View of a Famous Old Pagoda’s Landscape in North Vietnam – is a classic representation of the artist’s key themes and aesthetics through the portrayal of a picturesque Vietnamese countryside. Pham Hau’s choice usage of blacks, gold, silvers and vermillion to recreate the natural beauty in the framework of the lacquer panel, shares with the audience the ambience of the tropical landscape. Visible amidst the foliage is an old Vietnamese pagoda. The structure rises out of the greenery, an eloquent metaphor that represents peaceful coexistence between mankind and Mother Nature.