LOT 28
HENDRA GUNAWAN
(B. Indonesia, 1918-1983)
Main Layangan, 1961
Signed and dated “Hendra 61” on lower left
Oil on canvas
100 x 202 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Singapore
Acquired from a private collector in Jakarta
Accompanied with a Statement of Authenticity
from Tresna Suryawan, the son of the late artist and a Certificate of Authenticity from Mr. Abdul Rachman, Director of Jakarta Fine Arts and Ceramics Museum, 1976 – 2002
SOLD – RM 190,400
“…the busy activities of fishermen on the coast, fishes, water buffaloes, women (making up, wearing a sarong, nude, dancing with faces masked), men and women in intimate love relationships, masked men, guerrillas and abstract forms better exploring his innermost feelings.”
Hendra studied painting with Wahdi, a landscape painter. From Wahdi, he learned a lot about painting, and in his spare time joined the Sunda troupe as a scenery painter.
Hendra Gunawan was born in Bandung, West Java, in 1918. During his youth he joined the student troops and was an active member of Poetera (Center of Popular Power) and organization led by Sukarno and others. He was also active in Persagi (The Association of Indonesian Painters, an organization founded by S. Soedjojono and Agus Djaya in 1938. Gunawan was committed in his political views, and dedicated his life to the fight against poverty, injustice and colonialism. He was incarcerated in Kebon Waru for his involvement in the Institute of Popular Culture (Lekra), a cultural organization affiliated with the now-defunct Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). Gunawan’s incarceration began in the 1960’s and he was not released until 1978. During this time, his artwork was rarely seen or written about. Many of Gunawan’s works have been lost, but museums and private collectors have located and catalogued over 120 of his paintings and sketches, along with eleven sculptures.