sotheby`s hong kong to present modern and contemporary

Press Release Hong Kong
For Immediate Release
Hong Kong | Winnie Tang / Rhonda Yung | +852 2822 8129 / 143 | [email protected] / [email protected]
Singapore | Doreen Yong | [email protected] | Jakarta | Septiyana Guntoro | [email protected]
SOTHEBY’S HONG KONG TO PRESENT
MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY
SOUTHEAST ASIAN PAINTINGS SPRING SALE
ON 2 APRIL 2012
- Highlighting Exceptionally Rare Modern Masterpieces By
Walter Spies, Romualdo Locatelli and Juan Luna -
Indonesian artist Ay Tjoe Christine’s Langit-Langit Merah (Red Ceiling) (detail)
Estimate: HK$240,000 – 350,000 / US$31,000 – 45,200
Hong Kong Public Exhibition: 31 March – 1 April | Auction: 2 April
Hong Kong, March 2012
Sotheby’s Hong Kong announces that its Southeast Asian Paintings Spring Sale
201 2
2012 will take place on 2 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The sale brings together a
substantial selection of modern paintings of impeccable provenance, as well as inspiring Contemporary creations
by both established and emerging artists from the region. Also noteworthy is a line-up of innovative photography
and new media works that demonstrates the multi-disciplinary talent and vision of young Southeast Asian artists of
this generation. Offering around 170
1 70 exceptional works,
works the sale is expected to fetch in excess of HK$45
million / US$5.8 million*.
million*
Paintings,, said, “2011 has been a truly remarkable year for
MOK Kim Chuan, Sotheby’s Head of Southeast Asian Paintings
Sotheby’s Southeast Asian Art sale, which achieved a record annual total of HK$190 million / US$24.4 million, an
almost 30% growth over 2010. This solid growth is characterised by a continued expansion of collector base as we
see increasing buying interests from new markets including the Greater China region with Taiwan in particular.
In response to the surging global interest in superb quality Southeast Asian paintings, we are proud to present a
number of extremely rare modern masterpieces with impeccable provenance this season. Of particular note are
Romualdo Locatelli’s Portrait of Fu Ku Ko and Juan Luna’s In the Theatre box – both are rare and superb examples
of European Academic style that influenced early 20th century modern Southeast Asian painting, as well as
arguably Walter Spies’ first oil painting in Bali - Banyan with Two Young Balinese. In addition, this sale also
features innovative three-dimensional works, photography and new media art that, along with the other bold
Contemporary offerings, are sure to satisfy collectors’ more sophisticated and diversifying tastes.”
MODERN MASTERPIECES
INDOINDO -EUROPE
EU ROPE
Walter Spies’ (1895 – 1942) sojourn in Bali is often described as the most
creative period of his life. The star lot of this sale is the artist’s Waringin Mit
Zwei Jungen Baliern
Balier n (Banyan with Two Young Balinese;
Balinese ; est: HK$6.5 –
11.5 million / US$840,000 – 1 . 49 million)
million ) executed in 1927. This rare
painting is considered as the artist’s first oil painting in Bali, and was presented
to the legendary feudal lord of Ubud, Cokorda Gede Raka Sukawati, Spies’
patron and host, as a token of gratitude for his lordship's hospitability when
the artist moved to Bali. The Cokorda was a great patron of art who later
founded an artists’ society, Pita Maha, with Spies and Rudolf Bonnet, which
played a crucial role in shaping the development of modern Balinese art.
Spies always celebrated the Balinese approach to life and art, and the present
work, with its shafts of divine light illuminating the earth, water and man, may be
viewed as a work of great hope and optimism and a celebration of life.
Another highlight from the Modern session is Ritratto di Fu Ku Ko ( Portrait
of Fu Ku Ko; est: HK$1.2 – 1.8 million / US$155
US$15 5 , 0 00 – 233
23 3 , 0 00)
00 ) by
renowned Italian painter, Romualdo F. Locatelli (1905-1943), best known
for his society portraits created during his early years in Italy, and subsequently
during his travels in Africa and Southeast Asia. This work traces its roots back
to Locatelli’s 1938 visit to Java when the artist was invited by Mr. Fu Ching
Chang, an affluent shipbuilder, to the launch of his merchant ship. Fu
commissioned Locatelli to paint his wife, Mrs. Fu Ku Ko, and the resulting work
is a stunning example of Locatelli's pioneering pairing of Western painting
technique and Eastern pictoral symbolism.
Ritratto di Fu Ku Ko is believed to be the only portrait of a Chinese subject ever
painted by Locatelli. Since the artist died young at 38 and that many of his
works were destroyed after the Second World War, finely executed and intact
paintings on large-format canvases as such (202 x 120.5cm) by the artist have
become truly rare finds.
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THE PHILIPP
PHILIP PINES
Juan Luna (1857 – 1899), the first Filipino artist to be recognised on a global scale, is
represented in the sale by his En El Pal
Palco (In the Theatre Box; est: HK$3 – 5 million /
US$387,000 – 645,000)
645,000) executed in 1884, which depicts one of the artist’s favourite
subject matters - the prestigious opera houses of his era, where new European bourgeoisie
and aristocracy flaunted wealth, power and influence. Set against the flamboyant
background of the late 19th century, Luna illustrates a drama within another where the
audience of the opera is “on-show” themselves, posturing as they play out their real-life act in
parallel to the operatic act played before them.
This work combined bold brushstrokes with a balanced and refined composition. The
depiction of the high society is also rich with historical and allegorical references that give
the paintings gravitas beyond their enigmatic beauty.
Mga Naglalako Ng Manok (Chicken of the Naglalako; est: HK$900,000 – 1.5
million / US$117
US$117,0 00 – 194
194,000) executed in 1957 by pioneering Modernist, Anita
MagsaysayMagsaysay-Ho (b. 1914), represents the artist’s style of the mid to late 1950s. Works of
this period are characterised by depictions of strong, sturdy peasant women crowded
within a frame. In this painting, the subject matter remains the same, but the treatment
has become more abstract, with a lively surface of angled shapes and lines, faces that have
become even more generalised, and brushwork that shows more freedom. Chicken of the
Naglalako is a painting from an important period in Anita Magsaysay Ho’s career,
showcasing the artist’s work at her freest, most expressive and most intellectual phases.
INDONESIA
The years following Hendra Gunawan's
Gunawan (1918 – 1983) release from his 13-year
incarceration in May 1978 proved to be a remarkably creative period for the artist.
Painted in the year of his liberation, Potret Diri dan Anak (Self Portrait with
w ith Child;
Child ; est:
HK$1.5 – 2.5 million / US$194,000 – 323,000) was exhibited at the Lima
Bandung (The Bandung Five Collective) exhibition in October at Taman Ismail Marzuki,
the leading art and culture venue in Jakarta at the time.
This rare self-portrait depicts a bittersweet contemplation, juxtaposing the artist’s ageing
and contented visage against the enthusiastic and innocent child in his loving embrace.
Revelling in his freedom, Gunawan also recognised the importance of passing the legacy
of his experiences and instilling hope in future generations. This painting’s narrative and
composition exemplified Gunawan’s unquenchable spirit and optimism, and can be viewed as a celebration of
freedom, family union and the restoration of the domesticity the artist craved and missed for over a decade.
Another highlight of this sale is Affandi’s
Affandi (1907 – 1990) Man with Cockerels
Cockerel s (est.
HK$1.2 – 2 million / US$155,000 – 258,000). Completed in 1965, this work
exemplifies the artist’s most creative and critically acclaimed period in the mid-1960s after
he had travelled extensively, gained international recognition and exhibited at various
overseas biennales and exhibitions. The swirling, seemingly moving impastos in bold, fluid
brushstrokes echo the spirit and energy with which Affandi perceives life. The raw emotion
it depicts ultimately celebrates his joie de vivre, making it one of the best examples of
Affandi’s mastery as an Expressionist.
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This season, Sotheby’s is also privileged to offer a group of works from the important and distinguished Alex
Papadimitriou Collection^
Collection ^, featuring seven works by pioneer artists from Bandung - Ahmad Sadali, But Mochtar,
Srihadi Sudarsono, Mochtar Apin, and A.D. Pirous - whose collective corpus is associated as The Bandung School
which actively pioneered abstract art in Indonesia since 1950 - the period that the germination of abstract
expressionism movement in the West took place.
The paintings in this collection represent some of the artists’
best and most seminal works from the Bandung School’s
apogee in the late 1950s through the early 1970s. All works
possess impeccable provenance, having been acquired directly
from the artists. Brilliantly executed, these enchanting works
are of a calibre that rarely appears on the market.
But Mochtar’s
Mochtar (1930 – 1993) Three Seated Ladies (est: HK$90,000 – 150,000 / US$11,700 – 19,400;
above left) and Ahmad Sadali’s
Sadali (1924 – 1987) Abstract Orange (est: HK$180,000 – 250,000 /
US$23,300 – 32,300; above right) are the major highlights from this Collection.
SINGAPORE
Created in 1955, Untitled (est. HK$280,000 – 380,000 /
US$36,2
US$36, 200 – 49,000) is a perfect exemplification of Cheong Soo Pieng’s
Pieng
(1917 – 1983) new aesthetic in the 1950s as he veered away from traditional
Chinese ink paintings. The artist transformed human forms into deft, fluid lines,
rendering a flat but sculptural effect. His masterful integration of multicultural
elements – Chinese, Western, Malayan, Singaporean, and Indonesian – laid the
foundation for the Nanyang style which is still relevant today as an insightful
perception of Southeast Asian, and specifically, Singaporean, culture. Untitled is a rare and important example of
this achievement.
VIETNAM
Le Pho (1907 – 2001) has preserved the process of painting on silk as a way to harmonise
his own temperament and his technique. The delicacy of the material on which the present
work, Le Rideau Mauve (The Purple Curtain; est: HK$600,000 – 800,000 /
US$77,500 – 104,000)
104,000) , is executed demands a refinement of design and colour to which
present day art is not accustomed. This recourse to the art of another age demonstrates the
audacity of Le Pho and the interest inherent in his efforts.
Nguyen Gia Tri (1908 – 1993) started creating of his
famous and important lacquer works in the late 1950s,
which led to the formation of an art movement that
linked Eastern and Western lacquer traditions, cementing him as the preeminent
20th century Master of Vietnamese lacquer. Executed circa 1960s, Abstract
Composition (est. HK$450,000
H K$450,000 – 650,000 / US$58,5
US$58, 500 – 84 ,0 00)
00 is
a fine and ground breaking example of the artist’s combination of the abstract
with traditional lacquer materials, giving the flat surface boldness, richness and rhythm.
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CONTEMPORARY CREATIONS
Ronald Ventura
Ventura’s (b. 1973) Humanime (est: HK$450,000 – 680,000
/ US$58,500 – 88,000) represents the artist’s most exciting work in
recent years. True to his signature style of combining super-flat caricatures
of iconic animation characters with hyper-realistic figures, Ventura has
brought another level of finesse and explosive visual aesthetic in the present
example executed in 2012.
In Humanime, Ventura features a vixen with a human body and a
disproportionately large head of an anime. His propensity to merge the
human figure with another form – be it animal or robot – points to a
mounting dissatisfaction with the human bodies as bearer of narrative.
The jolly crowd of well-known characters, clashing against the drab
background, screams at desperation for meaning. Fantasy and reality
intertwined on the same canvas, inviting myriad interpretations from the viewers and calling for the creation of their
own vivid reality where imagination takes them.
Another highlight in the Contemporary section is a powerful work by Indonesian artist, Ay Tjoe Christine (b. 1973).
Incredibly rare and unique in the artist repertoire, LangitLangit-Langit Merah (Red Ceiling;
Ceiling ; est: HK$240,000 –
350,000 / US$31,000 – 45,200;
45,200 ; pictured on p. 1)
1) created between 2009 and 2010 depicts a sea of rosepetal-like fragments sweeping the canvas in various shades of red - cadmium, fuchsia, vermilion, ruby, rust, cardinal,
scarlet – and various degrees of translucency – from diaphanous to opaque. The overall effect expresses the artist’s
penchant for dichotomy between structure or rationality and freedom or emotion.
Executed in 2009, Kontes Para Pemikir (Contest of the Thinkers;
Thinkers ; est:
HK$280,000 – 380,000 / US$36,200 – 49,000)
49,000 ) is undoubtedly the most
important sculpture by Samsul Arifin (b. 1979) to come to auction. Majestic in scale,
the installation is composed of five parts, each standing at over three metres high,
which as a group present the viewer with a theatrical narrative. Perched at the top of
each pencil representing Indonesia’s education system is Samsul’s avatar, Goni, the
kapok-stuffed doll that symbolises an innocent person - unprivileged, uncorrupted and
simple. Contest of Thinkers offers social contemplation on the efficiency of Indonesia’s
education system. The emotions and empathy evoked by these simple dolls which
display subtle nuances is a testament to Samsul’s dexterity with his mediums as well as his profound intuition and
understanding of human nature.
Executed circa 2002, Di AwangAwang - Awang (Up In The Air) (est:
HK$275,000 – 350,000 / US$35,500 – 45,2
45, 2 00) is one of
the three-dimensional works by Rudi Mantofani (b. 1973). The
work can be seen from both sides as a real space away from a wall the background that thus far has given the “painting” its life and
existence. By bringing the “painting”, which changes neither its form
nor purpose nor function, forward a few centimetres away from the
wall, Mantofani challenges viewers’ perception and definition of this
art form.
View from the side
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PHOTOGRAPHY & NEW MEDIA ART
Highlights of the New Media Art section include a stop-motion animation by Tromarama - a collective from
Indonesia formed in 2004 by Febie Babyrose (b. 1985), Ruddy Hatumena (b. 1984) and Herbert Hans (b. 1984).
Their work, represented here by *Ting (est: HK$20,000 – 30,000 / US$2,600 – 3,900),
3,900) poses intriguing
yet playful commentaries and observations on contemporary urban culture. *Ting, executed in 2008, perfectly
describes the urban masses as they move in herds, follow each other and do what the other does. They are so
restless that they embark on adventures and travel around the world only to find that ultimately the place that they
long for most is home.
The tension between the real and unreal is explored through Jason
Tablante’s
Tablante (b. 1981) portrayal of the urban culture of excess. The Tea
After Party (est: HK$25,000 – 35,000 / US$3,250 – 4,550),
4,550) a
photographical work created in 2010, represents the artist’s twisted urban
interpretation of the age-old tale of Alice in Wonderland, mashing up the
scene of a tea party with the modern connotations of after party where
people get indulged after gratifying parties.
*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium
Images available upon request
Press releases and sales information are now available at www.sothebys.com/hongkongspring2012
NOTES TO EDITORS
^I) About Alex Papadimitriou Collection
Born in Palembang, Sumatra, in 1924, of German, Greek, and Japanese descent, Mr. Alex Papadimitriou was the foremost
collector for Indonesian Art who was in charge of organising the Indonesian paintings section at the second Sao Paulo fine arts
biennial in 1952 and became friends with a number of Indonesian artists; it was then that his love for Indonesian art began and it
never wavered until his passing in 2006. Sotheby’s is proud to present the Alex Papadimitriou Collection as a celebration not
only of the life of a visionary, a tastemaker and cognoscenti, but also that of the art of collecting fine art.
II) World Records of Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings Held by Sotheby’s Hong Kong
Modern Painting
Lee Man Fong’s Bali Life
Sold for HK$25.3 million / US$3.2 million (Sotheby’s Hong Kong, April 2010)
*WORLD RECORD FOR ANY SOUTHEAST ASIAN PAINTING AT AUCTION
*WORLD RECORD FOR THE ARTIST AT AUCTION
Contemporary Painting
Ronald Ventura’s Grayground
Sold for HK$8.4 million / US$1.1 million (Sotheby’s Hong Kong, April 2011)
*WORLD RECORD FOR ANY CONTEMPORARY ASIAN PAINTING AT AUCTION
*WORLD RECORD FOR THE ARTIST AT AUCTION
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III) Sotheby's Hong Kong Spring Sales 2012
20 12 Calendar
Auction Date
Auction Room
Category
Exhibition
Auction Room 1
The Classic Cellar from a Great American Collector IX
––––
Auction Room 1
Finest & Rarest Wines Including Wines Direct from Château
Angélus, Louis Roederer and Colgin Cellars
––––
Auction Room 1
Auction Room 1
Auction Room 1
Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Paintings
20th Century Chinese Art
Contemporary Asian Art
31 Mar – 1 Apr
31 Mar – 2 Apr (until 1pm)
31 Mar – 2 Apr (until 4pm)
Auction Room 1
Auction Room 2
Fine Chinese Paintings
Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite
31 Mar – 2 Apr
31 Mar – 2 Apr
10am
10:15am
Auction Room 1
Auction Room 1
31 Mar – 3 Apr
31 Mar – 3 Apr
11:45pm
2:30pm
3:30pm
11am & 2pm
Auction Room 1
Auction Room 1
Auction Room 1
Auction Room 2
Ru – From A Japanese Collection
The Meiyintang Collection, Part III – An Important Selection of
Imperial Chinese Porcelains
Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection, Scholarly Art II
A Private Collection of Scholarly and Imperial Works of Art
Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art (Various-owner sale)
Important Watches
31 Mar
12pm
1 Apr
10am
2 Apr
10am
2:30pm
5:30pm
3 Apr^
10am & 2:30pm
2pm & 5pm
4 Apr^
31 Mar – 3 Apr
31 Mar – 3 Apr
31 Mar – 3 Apr
31 Mar – 3 Apr
Hong Kong Exhibition and Auction Venue
Hall 5, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (New Wing)
1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong ^Two salesrooms will be set up for concurrent bidding
IV)
IV ) Asia Travelling Exhibitions Calendar
Date
City
Venue
17 – 18 Mar
Singapore
The Regent, Singapore
24 – 25 Mar
Taipei
Fubon International Convention Centre
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