阿凡迪

This work is in very good overall condition as viewed. There is some very light cracking to pigment at areas of very thick impasto, but this is consistent with the age of the work and only noticeable upon very close inspection. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals no restoration. 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.
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“…[Affandi] did not come to Bali for the exotic “difference” the island is all too often expected to provide. He was looking for “situations,” some Balinese, some not, but always ones which he could endow with personal signification. Working outdoors, he looked for scenes he could endow with personal symbolic meaning(s) – to connote human suffering or express the whirling of natural forces…" ¹

Celebrated for his distinctive painting style and idiosyncratic subject matter, Affandi was considered the consummate expressionist painter in Asia during the mid-20th century. Embedded in the revolutionary artistic movements that occurred on a global scale during the World-War and Post-World-War period, Affandi became the founder of the Lembaga Pelukis Rakyat (The People’s Painters’ Association), which motivated Indonesian artists to focus on populist themes and images of the indigenous human experience in its most honest form. In an effort to shatter the rose tinted glasses of the pre-existing Mooi Indie and Pita-Maha aesthetics in Indonesia, Affandi rendered the authentic nature of his nation through his paintings, emphasizing a pan-Indonesian existence that would eventually activate and maneuver the development of modern Indonesian art.

 

In the present lot, Affandi depicts a Balinese Legong dancer in the glorious flushes of blossoming adolescence. Illuminated in a warm, yellow glow and juxtaposed against a dark backdrop, the dancer dominates the picture plane and is ensconced within a halo of rustling foliage. Behind her is an outdoor public festival, consisting of erect temple structures, banners sweeping the evening sky, and pigs scurrying in the distance.

Traditionally, Legong dancers are very young girls who train rigorously and are highly regarded in society. Captured during a moment of rest from her arduous practice, the arresting child is garbed in a resplendent traditional costume. Though she is seated on a chair, her deportment is far from relaxed. Embellished with a flamboyant headdress and a meticulously rendered sarong, the girl clutches her fan in tense anticipation of her performance. Her eyes are alert and vigilant and her body language is restless, pervading the work with a palpable sense of suspense.

 

Upon viewing this striking work, it is evident that Affandi painted images of reality that truly touched him. He said, “I too like beautiful things, but they do not necessary provide inspiration for my work. My subjects are expressive rather than beautiful. I paint suffering – an old woman, a beggar, a black mountain... My great wish is that people learn a little from my work.” Affandi did not philosophize his paintings; he merely depicted what he witnessed in a matter-of-fact manner. As a curious artist who integrated into the Balinese culture, he explored his subjects on a personal level in order to truthfully comprehend them before immortalizing them. In an effort to break away from romanticized lens through which depictions of Indonesia were filtered, Affandi inadvertently created an oeuvre that now serves as an important testament to Indonesian disposition during its first stages of modern history.

¹Jean Couteau cited in Sardjana Sumichan, ed., Affandi, Volume II, Bina Lestari Budaya Foundation, Singapore Art Museum, Jakarta Singapore, 2007, p. 39