HENDRA GUNAWAN

Indonesian painter Hendra Gunawan was very much influenced by the aesthetics of wayang, a traditional form of puppetry prevalent in the island cultures of Southeast Asia. His paintings of women, most typically from a side profile and flat in perspective resonate with the unique aesthetic of wayang. The present lot, Mother and Child (Lot 116), is a superlative example of Hendra's unique aesthetic as well as his affinity for batik, a traditional wax-resist dyeing technique celebrated for its vibrancy of colours and patterning. The present work undoubtedly illustrates the influences of wayang and batik on Hendra through the bold simplification of forms, contrasting areas of brilliantly lit colours and a strong rhythmical surface design.

Mother and Child is a work characteristic of Hendra's vivacious outlook towards life, not least in the resplendency of his colour palette. His imprisonment at the Kebon Waru prison (1965-1978) was a period of distinctive change as his preference of brighter colours became apparent. Stylistically, Mother and Child can be dated to the 1970s, in his Kebon Waru period.

Women play a major role in Hendra's oeuvre, assuming a vital nurturing role. Mother and Child illuminates a consistent theme for the artist which is his unfailing celebration of women that hints of the mysterious poetic meaning in everyday life - with the curvaceous female body splendidly enhanced with vivacious colours, the artist highlights their importance in family and societal life with a dramatic effect that rises above the everyday commonplace.