HENDRA GUNAWAN | By the Beach

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. There is evidence of wear and losses along the edges of the work due to abrasions with the frame. There is craquelure in some sporadic areas of the work, for example a vertical crack to the pigment near the left edge, an area above the boat, and another in the pink sand. There is some paint shrinkage to darker pigments, and some pinhead sized spots of paint loss scattered sporadically (but this is only visible upon very close inspection). There is a pinhole at the upper right corner. This work could benefit from a light, professional cleaning as there is some surface dirt and an area of accretion at the brown pigment on the floor underneath the middle woman's thigh. All other inconsistencies, including the white media accretions on the left side, are likely due to the artist's working method. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals no sign of restoration as viewed. Framed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The collector’s family owns a factory near Kebon Waru prison in Bandung, where Hendra Gunawan was incarcerated for 12 long years due to his involvement with a cultural organization associated with the Indonesian communist party. The collector happened to be an avid art collector and a dear friend of Anton Huang, another prominent artist of the time, whose work (Lot 299) is also on offer in this sale. Aware of the fact that Gunawan was confined in the prison, this collector would visit the artist and found himself deeply drawn to the paintings he would work on in his jail cell. Even though the artist was restrained in a merciless and suppressing environment, his imagination was abounding and palpable in his artistic expressions. His blank canvases were windows into the outside world, what he could muster from his memories, and they sustained his grappling for hope. The collector and the artist engaged in a dialogue to select the composition that he liked most, and Gunawan responded with some alternatives and suggestions. Eventually, the two of them agreed on a theme and composition. The collector then purchased the canvas and paint from the promenade street Jalan Braga and had these supplies sent to the prison cell. This canvas that had entered Gunawan’s prison-come-studio as a blank, white surface, soon left Kebon Waru prison as a vibrant and significant masterpiece.

Perhaps it is a profound paradox that this painting was rendered so energetically, despite the colonial oppression and poverty experienced by his countrymen and women, in addition to the torment the artist experienced while executing the work. Or perhaps, Hendra’s paintings, the creating of which sustained him when nothing else could, are celebrations of his people’s tenacity and strength despite harsh wartime occupation. Like many of the works within his opus, the lounging women in By the Beach become the subject of a painting rife with meaning; one that celebrates life’s moments through a depiction of social gathering, individual reflection and active daydreaming – serving as a historical and contemporary emblem of rural existence in Indonesia.