Hendra Gunawan

Christie's Hong Kong, April 28, 2002, Lot 78
Private Collection, Singapore

There is evidence of wear and losses along the edges of the work due to abrasions with the frame, but this does not affect the overall image. There are fine networks of craquelure only visible at areas of thicker impasto, consistent with the age of the work. There is a small area of paint loss at woman's anklet, only visible under very close inspection. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals very few, sporadic pinhole sized areas of restoration and some restoration at black pigment at bottom left corner.
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Hendra Gunawan remains to be one of the most unforgettable and iconic Indonesian painters in the 20^th century. Hailed as a people’s artist, Hendra left behind an oeuvre that had encapsulated the inner spirit of the country, embracing the village culture and the common people. His paintings were inspired by his connections with people, hopes on the nation’s future, and faith in the country’s traditions. The painting Market Scene is amongst one of the many fine examples of Hendra’s portrayals of daily local life from his oeuvre. Throughout his body of works the artist continuously strived to emphasize the importance of community and human connections.

Hendra once said, “Life exists because of a community. From the community friends will come.”¹ The way Hendra valued the existence of a close-knit community is perfectly exemplified in the present lot, Market Scene. By featuring the market place culture of Indonesia, Hendra focused on immortalizing the moments of human interactions, displaying a true reflection of the everyday lives. Unlike the common voyeuristic perspective adopted by most painters, Hendra chose to place himself in the midst of everything that was happening. The present painting resembles a story, with Hendra as the storyteller in his first person narratives. Looking back into European practices in depicting market scenes, Pieter Brueghel the Younger had a significant legacy in illustrations of bustling markets and commonplaces. Packed with figures, Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s painting features commoners frolicking, where the artist composed whimsical images by magnifying the activities of the follies.

Another approach taken by Europeans was through the lens of Orientalism, as demonstrated in Amadeo Preziosi’s The Grand Bazaar. Painted through the eyes of a Westerner, the painting is characterized with inflated oriental traits ingrained in the Western world. In contrast, Hendra’s portrayal of the Market Scene was a showcase of human connectivity and the sentiments enveloped in within. Rather than providing a panoramic view of the market, the present lot caught the audiences’ attention with the interplay among the figures in the painting. As an Indonesian, Hendra presented the market in a modest and truthful manner, as opposed to the Orientalist approach.

Constantly stimulated by things we encounter from day to day, Hendra’s artistic language was developed with the most unexpected help. “His fascination with the colours of the fish not only made him notice other kinds of fish, but was later reflected in the bright colours that are one of the hallmarks of his paintings.” ² As a keen observer, Hendra noticed the smallest things in life and found colours in his own nation, where he had created a unique voice for his own country through his own art. Hendra’s paintings are distinguished with his unpredictable use of colours, which were inspired by the different aura and personalities that varied from person to person. Regardless of the darker palette used by Hendra, the present piece still exhibits a friendly and affectionate ambience apparent in the local community.

By filling up the pictorial surface with figures, the composition alludes to the interconnectedness among people by engaging every single figure in the painting. While colours formed an inseparable element in Hendra’s composition, the female figures constituted as another central focus in the present lot. Under Hendra’s illustrations, women are often constructed as motherly figures, actively attending to the needs of their children. As a frequented motif, women were aligned with the tenderness and beauty of the country, and embodiments of the desirable qualities that Hendra yearned for.

As a talented Sundanese puppeteer, Hendra’s figures are reminiscent of the traditional Wayang Kulit – shadow puppets. Perceptually acute, the artist had closely observed this Indonesian tradition and incorporated them into his paintings. By aligning the features of figures with traditional depictions of the shadow puppets, Hendra had formulated his own unique visual language, merging together his vision and imagination. As one of the prominent political artists, the motto ‘art for the people’ had fueled him in creating art that could represent the people and his own nation. Hendra believed that art should be accessible to everyone since they embodied the people’s voices and aspirations. Yet, his close ties with political organizations should not overshadow his paintings of the grassroots, since Hendra’s largest interest remained to be on the pure and simple lives of the population. “Even though many of Hendra’s works had an element of social protest, he did not let his political beliefs get in the way. He idealized the ordinary folk and never questioned the validity of representation in art.”³

Once again taken out from a scene of the everyday life, the present painting captures the essence of a community, an indispensable ingredient in the recipe of a strong country. Very much enraptured by the modesty of the grassroots population, Hendra tirelessly pulled out and revamped these scenarios from daily lives. Wishing to communicate directly to the general audiences, these vignettes of the commoners as constructed by Hendra have created some of the most iconic pieces found in the modern art history of Indonesia.

¹ Interview with Karmini, Bandung, early 1999

² Agus Dermawan T., Hendra Gunawan – His Life and Times, P. 21, Ir Ciputra Foundation, Jakarta, 2001

³ Garett Kam, Modern Indonesian Art, P.52,  Koes Artbooks, Indonesia, 2006