亨德拉·古拿溫

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. There is evidence of wear along the edges of the work, due to abrasions with the frame, but this does not affect the overall image. There is some craquelure visible at the surface of the painting, but this is consistent with the age of the work. There are some horizontal creases to the canvas and minor scuffs at center. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals very minor areas of restoration at the boy's hair at upper right corner, at the orange pigment at center, and at some areas of craquelure. 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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Fiercely proud of the archipelago of Indonesia, Hendra Gunawan’s infuses his art with nationalistic fervour, focusing sharply on portraying vignettes of rural existence and elevating ordinary characters to numinous creatures. Being the only child of a single mother, he was inspired by strong and courageous women, featuring them throughout his opus. Gunawan apprenticed under both Wahdi and Affandi, developing fast as an artist and expanding his skills, eventually establishing the Indonesian Academy of Fine Arts (Akademi Seni Rupa Indonesia) in 1950. He painted in the spirit of “wanting to become a painter” and his passion for his country coupled with sincere love for his craft are what established him as a frontrunner of modern Indonesian art.

Instead of dealing with politically lofty or more traditional themes that were the genre du jour, Gunawan aimed to monumentalize the land and its working people, celebrating Indonesia’s spirit and local beauty. Indonesia was undergoing a struggle to regain control over their country and their creative identity and Gunawan’s contribution was to create art that was altogether accessible and complex, a visual record of the change his homeland was going through.

In the present piece, Gunawan depicts a female chicken vendor stooping to retrieve a chicken, likely to put it into the cloth sack on her back that is already teeming with others. The scene is a chaotic one; there are more women in the background that are almost indistinguishable from the foreground. Gunawan’s arrangement of the figures serves to simultaneously single out the chicken vendor’s actions and blend her into the crowd. It highlights a pause in village busyness while reminding the viewer that in agrarian life, community is of prime importance, and the individual is part of a larger effort to keep things running smoothly. The painting shows how Gunawan documents moments that are otherwise inconspicuous, celebrating the common people and habits of Indonesia in an attempt to claim ownership of the country.

Visually, Gunawan is known for using bright, glowing and oftentimes clashing colours in his work, due to his early love of nature and his subsequent desire to represent a person’s subconscious in their appearance, showcasing their “true colours”. In Chicken Vendor, the predominant colours are green and purple with flashes of red, orange and yellow, emulating the vibrancy of his surroundings. Gunawan also plays with the balance between darkness and brightness, maintaining a mostly uniform tonality but featuring occasional spots of iridescence. His artistic choices seem instinctive and his brushwork is rough but decisive, in keeping with his stylized approach to painting. Gunawan’s use of colour and style elevates ordinary characters and situations, accentuating indigenous features, attire and energy.

Gunawan’s oeuvre represents one man’s personal experience witnessing a paradigm shift in Indonesia, a product of deeply localised patriotism and a desire for independence. His dramatic colour palettes are reminiscent of European romanticism, but his subject matter and impetus is unmistakeably Indonesian. Chicken Vendor serves as a paragon of his nationalism, but goes beyond his love of the archipelago to stand out as a visually enchanting work of art, an amalgamation of sinuous lines and vivid colour, framing an otherwise unnoticed moment in village life.