Monday, October 19, 2015

From the Collection of a Statesman Lots #042-046






From the Collection of a Statesman 
Lots #042-046


Five paintings in this set originally came from the collection of a statesman who was among the first who aspired to present his collections in a museum.  The museum opened following the passing away of the statesman in 1984, but unfortunately by the mid-1990s the collections had started to disappear.
A catalog of the museum’s main painting collection of Indonesian masters was published in 1979.  While the paintings offered in this auction are not from the main collection of the museum, apparently apart from his collection of Indonesian masters, the statesman also collected paintings by younger, lesser-known artists. He seemed to have a particular interest in paintings that depicted historical/political themes.
            History can not be Forgotten (1968) by Agustin Sibarani (Pematang Siantar, N. Sumatra , 1925 – Depok, W. Java 2014) seems to depict a particular episode from the 1945-49 Revolutionary War, which he experienced as a young man. Unfortunately it is unclear exactly what incident he depicted. However the painting hopefully will be able to monumentalize its history as the artist intended. Later during his lifetime, he became better known as a political caricaturist.
            An unsigned painting from the collection depicts another enigmatic scene that also seems to be related to the war, while a painting by Ismail shows an Indonesian soldier helping his wounded comrade, during the war, reminding people that war is often not about winning battles heroically, but rather about humanity and solidarity.
            The two other paintings in this set seem to be a reflection of how Indonesia has progressed since the 1945 Proclamation of Independence. A symbolic painting, Zainal Soetanto’s Pelangi Mati (1983) seems to be painted in reaction to ethnic and political tensions that happened in Indonesia in the early 1980s. Through the painting, the artist seems to be making a statement that diversity has been neglected to wither away in the landscape of the nation.
Meanwhile, Suatmadji’s Hormat Panglima seems to be a cynical political statement about a nation that is being led by politics, away from the values of life and humanity. Suatmadji (Yogyakarta, 1952-2014) was a member of the revolutionary Gerakan Seni Rupa Baru (New Art Movement) of the 1970s.
            These five paintings from the collection of a prominent Indonesian statesman actually shape an important part of the development of Indonesia’s art history.


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