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Lot Essay
"(His paintings) radiate with colour - clashing, surprising sweet - but somehow almost always brilliantly resolved in the composition as a whole." - Astri Wright
Minum Tuak is an enchanting representation of Hendra Gunawan's artistry and passion for his nation and its people. Hendra's masterpieces often captured daily life with the serene vistas of Indonesia's untouched nature as its background. The simple gathering of men and women enjoying tuak (palm wine) is monumentally captured in the present lot. In Bali, tuak has been a part of the daily life and culture. In previous times, tuak was readily available anywhere through street vendors who would carry jugs around the neighbourhood and make stops whenever people called them. For farmers and workers akin, drinking tuak is a routine at the end of the day as a way to wind down after a long hard day of labour. In the present lot, Hendra painted the villagers in a leisurely approach to life and generous time on their hands – gathering on the beach with a kendi (jug) of tuak , engaging in intimate conversation.
In many of Hendra's canvases, women are the primary focus of the composition. His approach is similar to that of Paul Gauguin, who honoured female figures as irreplaceable members of a thriving society. It is interesting to see that, while male figures are present in the current painting, it is towards the female figure that Hendra anchors his composition. She is wrapped in the traditional kebaya paired with pastel coloured skin which sets her apart from other figures portrayed in the painting. Concurrently, with the woman's gaze and the man on the right, our attention moves towards the man who is seated at the base of a big tree enjoying a sip on tuak while caring for his child who is reaching out playfully to the tuak that the father is sipping.
Gentle gestures makes Hendra’s figures subtly connected to one another. Highly influenced by Wayang puppetry, Hendra's figures are painted sideways with exaggerated features, such as elongated limbs, thick feet with widely spaced toes, long necks and large eyes. Hendra's heavily stylized figures embodies the quality of the hard-working people of Indonesia. Moreover, Hendra incorporates the Batik pattern in their clothing and onto their skin with gestural brushstrokes, as part of their Indonesian identity and culture which he always celebrates. Besides the cultural reference, Hendra's paintings are recognizable for the use of striking colours, exemplifying the medium's expressive potential. Hendra imbued the three main figures in the present painting with vibrant and lively colours. At the same time, the other couple conversing at the back are painted in muted colours that transition into the calm landscape of the beach. Hendra's precision in colour play elevate the atmosphere of the scene and introduced dynamism in his works, creating depth and balance to the composition. Unconventional in his choice of colours, it is of Hendra's bold expression in celebrating and redefining Indonesian culture through his art. When all of these elements combined, Hendra's work is an eclectic pictorial symphony to one's eye, especially the Bali period.
Bali had become a paradise for many artists, both locals and Europeans alike, including Affandi, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur, Walter Spies, and Rudolf Bonnet. Artists were inspired to capture the liveliness of the island and its people through their art. It was also a place that was chosen by Hendra Gunawan to spend the rest of his life after his imprisonment. In Bali Hendra found peace and happiness that inspired him to produce large-sized canvases, such as the present lot. It is likely that Minum Tuak is one of Hendra's first paintings after relocating to Bali in 1980. The rhythms of daily life in Bali, combined with the lushness and beauty of the island and its beach, seem to have provided Hendra with the images of freedom, openness, and enjoyment that he so craved. It is during the Bali period that we can see Hendra’s mature artistry that reminds us of the expressionism movement.
Visually stimulating, Minum Tuak expresses the intense emotions of the artist, and his ideals regarding the beauty of the simple life. This brilliant piece showcases Hendra Gunawan's ability to present multiple contrasts layer of meaning through his paintings: it straddles between dynamism and balance, intellect and emotions, as well as tragedy and joy.
Minum Tuak is an enchanting representation of Hendra Gunawan's artistry and passion for his nation and its people. Hendra's masterpieces often captured daily life with the serene vistas of Indonesia's untouched nature as its background. The simple gathering of men and women enjoying tuak (palm wine) is monumentally captured in the present lot. In Bali, tuak has been a part of the daily life and culture. In previous times, tuak was readily available anywhere through street vendors who would carry jugs around the neighbourhood and make stops whenever people called them. For farmers and workers akin, drinking tuak is a routine at the end of the day as a way to wind down after a long hard day of labour. In the present lot, Hendra painted the villagers in a leisurely approach to life and generous time on their hands – gathering on the beach with a kendi (jug) of tuak , engaging in intimate conversation.
In many of Hendra's canvases, women are the primary focus of the composition. His approach is similar to that of Paul Gauguin, who honoured female figures as irreplaceable members of a thriving society. It is interesting to see that, while male figures are present in the current painting, it is towards the female figure that Hendra anchors his composition. She is wrapped in the traditional kebaya paired with pastel coloured skin which sets her apart from other figures portrayed in the painting. Concurrently, with the woman's gaze and the man on the right, our attention moves towards the man who is seated at the base of a big tree enjoying a sip on tuak while caring for his child who is reaching out playfully to the tuak that the father is sipping.
Gentle gestures makes Hendra’s figures subtly connected to one another. Highly influenced by Wayang puppetry, Hendra's figures are painted sideways with exaggerated features, such as elongated limbs, thick feet with widely spaced toes, long necks and large eyes. Hendra's heavily stylized figures embodies the quality of the hard-working people of Indonesia. Moreover, Hendra incorporates the Batik pattern in their clothing and onto their skin with gestural brushstrokes, as part of their Indonesian identity and culture which he always celebrates. Besides the cultural reference, Hendra's paintings are recognizable for the use of striking colours, exemplifying the medium's expressive potential. Hendra imbued the three main figures in the present painting with vibrant and lively colours. At the same time, the other couple conversing at the back are painted in muted colours that transition into the calm landscape of the beach. Hendra's precision in colour play elevate the atmosphere of the scene and introduced dynamism in his works, creating depth and balance to the composition. Unconventional in his choice of colours, it is of Hendra's bold expression in celebrating and redefining Indonesian culture through his art. When all of these elements combined, Hendra's work is an eclectic pictorial symphony to one's eye, especially the Bali period.
Bali had become a paradise for many artists, both locals and Europeans alike, including Affandi, Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur, Walter Spies, and Rudolf Bonnet. Artists were inspired to capture the liveliness of the island and its people through their art. It was also a place that was chosen by Hendra Gunawan to spend the rest of his life after his imprisonment. In Bali Hendra found peace and happiness that inspired him to produce large-sized canvases, such as the present lot. It is likely that Minum Tuak is one of Hendra's first paintings after relocating to Bali in 1980. The rhythms of daily life in Bali, combined with the lushness and beauty of the island and its beach, seem to have provided Hendra with the images of freedom, openness, and enjoyment that he so craved. It is during the Bali period that we can see Hendra’s mature artistry that reminds us of the expressionism movement.
Visually stimulating, Minum Tuak expresses the intense emotions of the artist, and his ideals regarding the beauty of the simple life. This brilliant piece showcases Hendra Gunawan's ability to present multiple contrasts layer of meaning through his paintings: it straddles between dynamism and balance, intellect and emotions, as well as tragedy and joy.