Affandi

Sardjana Sumichan, Affandi: Volume II, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, 2007, p.282, colourplate 226

The work is in good condition overall. There is evidence of very light craquelures predominantly on the thicker impastos.The paint layers are healthy and the impastos appear slightly dirty, but this is only visible upon very close observation. Examination under ultraviolet light shows no sign of restoration. Framed.
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‘Matahari = sumber hidup saya Tangan = saya bekerja dengan tangan + naluri (tida dengan otak) Kaki = saya harus maju’

Translation: ‘Sun = the source of my life Hands = I work with my hands + instinct (not with my brain) Feet = I must move forward’

- Affandi ^[i]

The present lot is a quintessential symbol that frequents Affandi’s most special works. Consisting of the sun (which could be perceived as a sunflower), a pair of paw-like hands and feet, this playful image serves as the artist’s archetypal monogram.

When Affandi felt truly satisfied with the result of a given painting, he would feel empowered, such that his own creative command mimicked the boundless and limitless qualities of the sun. In these instances, he would grant his distinctive canvases with this exact pictogram.

Affandi deems this signature motif as his Life Force, as he believed the sun provided all earthly beings with vital and incessant sources of energy. The sun, in this picture, serves as a head, which beams with luminous rays of yellow and orange. To Affandi, the figure of the body and face represented the self’s awareness of its role in the universe. The symbolic use of the sun further references the relationship between human beings and Mother Nature.

Hands and feet serve as significant limbs in the human body, both necessary for free movement and advancement. While hands represent control over our own efforts and a connection to the heavens, the symbol of feet ties us back to the ground, connecting us with the earth from which we blossomed. These feet signify a concern for the everyday life in Affandi’s oeuvre.

This truly unusual work magnifies Affandi’s most familiar symbol, such that it dominates the picture plane. Painted late in his life, this work may communicate Affandi’s feeling of gratitude and satisfaction as he reflected on the years behind him.

^[i] inscribed in Affandi's drawing, My Life Symbol, 1976, illustrated in H C Bob Dirix, Affandi 100th Anniversary 1907 – 2007, Dirix Art Gallery, Yogyakarta, 2006, p. 132