AFFANDI | Self-Portrait

Private Asian Collection

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals areas of restoration at the upper left quadrant. Framed.
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Affandi’s self-portrait series is a highly revered subject matter that he painted throughout his lifetime – each individual self-portrait is a profoundly intimate record of self-reflection. They are treasured as documentations of his own physical and psychological changes at various junctures of his life. For Affandi, the obsessive depiction of the self was a courageous exploration into his own spiritual progression. Despite the repetition of this particular subject matter, each one is unique in the way that it embodies a specific expressive output; as with each one of these self-portraits, he delved deeper into his own individual existence. Affandi confesses that he would turn to painting self-portraits as a process of critical self-examination whenever he needed to reset and take a break from the rest of his works. Hence, rather than pursuing a facial resemblance, these expressive portraits were important emotional representations that reflected his state of mind. A riveting interplay of color, line and textured paint, the present lot is an extraordinary testament to Affandi’s artistic maturation. It bears the hallmarks of Affandi’s singualr artistic vocabularies he developed since the ‘60s—oil paints are directly applied onto the canvas and smeared with his bare hands. Bringing himself closest to his canvas, he eliminated the paintbrush and thus giving way to a more direct and intuitive method of art making.

Furthermore, in this self-portrait, the artist has also inserted a sun, a pair of hands and feet on the right hand side in the painting, which marks his personal satisfaction of the work. Symbolic for Affandi, the sun was one of his favourite motifs throughout his lifetime. He regarded the sun as the indispensable source of the natural life forces, while hands and feet were the most important part of the body in regards to movement. Therefore, the insertion of this particular motif predicates his contemplation on the existence of nature and the vicissitude of life, and hinted at his belief as a humanist.

Affandi’s approach to painting can be understood as a radically participatory act, not only in technique but also in intention. His self-portrait paintings in particular are attempts to uncover an earnest sincerity of man’s imperfection. They serve as examples of self-awareness and emotional bravery for an artist who has left an indelible mark on modern Indonesian art.