KHO KIEM BING (Indonesian, B. 1908)

Influenced by the works of Belgian impressionists, Kho Kiem Bing' paintings speak of emotion; a sense of nostalgic and longing for his hometown. In Kota Malang (Lot 3509), Kho Kiem Bing gives us his honest depiction of Jalan Semeru in his hometown, Malang, East Java. The sky is bright, the street is bustling, crowded with vehicles and passer-by and one can only tell that the business is thriving in Malang and it is indeed a prosperous city. In the background, there stands prominently Toko Mas Tan (Tan Jewellery Shop), showing us the strong Chinese influence in the Javanese dominated city. This epitomises a harmony in the diverse Indonesian population, a way of life that become the national motto - Bhinneka Tunggal Ika.