Auction house makes name for itself in S'pore<\/p>\n
Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Singapore<\/p>\n
It seems that the Indonesian auction house Larasati is rapidly
\nmaking an impression on the international art market in
\nSingapore.<\/p>\n
In contrast to its first international auction in Singapore
\nheld six months earlier when Indonesian buyers prevailed, the
\nsecond auction, held in early December, saw Singaporeans as the
\nmajority of the about 200 bidders. It may be a sign that Larasati
\ncould become a major player in the Asian art market.<\/p>\n
The 83 lots presented as Pictures of Asia Fine Art, with works
\nby Europeans who came to Indonesia early in the last century like
\nHofker, Sonnega and Dooijewaard, and Indonesians -- primarily
\nrepresented by Hendra Gunawan, Affandi, Rusli, Sudjojono, Sudjana
\nKerton and Ivan Sagito. There were also Chinese senior and avant-
\ngarde artists like Georgette Chen and Fanglijun, as well as some
\nfrom Malaysia and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
No doubt the old masters were still in great demand, with
\nHofker's lithographs exceeding by three or four times their
\nestimates, culminating in A Seated Balinese Beauty with
\nOfferings, which was estimated at S$600-800, fetching a
\nremarkable S$5,000.<\/p>\n
Willem Dooijewaard's colored chalks on paper Balinese Girl at
\nan Elaborately Sculpted Water Spout, made S$40,000 from the
\nestimated S$16,000-18,000.<\/p>\n
Equally significant were Hendra Gunawan's painting Penjual
\nIkan (Fish Seller) which fetched S$480,000, three times its
\nmaximum estimate of S$160,000; Rusli's Puri Dalem Tandjung
\nBungkak (estimated S$7,000-9,000) went for S$22,000 while
\nAffandi's oil on canvas Semangka dan Kepiting (Watermelon and
\nCrab) made S$190,000, more than twice its estimate of S$90,000.<\/p>\n
However, Affandi's Menjemur Ikan (Drying the Fish) and
\nTangkuban Perahu, remained within estimates, while there was no
\nbid on his work titled Skiing.<\/p>\n
Quite memorable was the bidding for Chinese artist's Chen Ya
\nJie's work Flowers, which started at S$7,000 and went through
\nsome heated bidding until it reached S$26,000. But flower
\npainting by Xu Xiao Yen surprisingly went below its lowest
\nestimate.<\/p>\n
Perhaps less spectacular but still noteworthy were the lots
\nthat went for prices slightly over or twice the estimates.<\/p>\n
These included Lee Man Fong's Two Rabbits which went for
\nS$32,000 from the estimated S$20,000-25,000); Rusli's Prayer and
\nOfferings (estimated S$6,000-8,000) which fetched S$15,000;
\nJeihan Sukmantoro's Ibu Andi (estimated S$5,400-7,000) went for
\nS$5,600; Sudjojono's Bouquet Wicky (estimated S$35,000-45,000)
\nwent for S$46,000; Renato Cristiano (estimated S$25,000-30,000)
\nfetched S$38,000, while Abdul Azis' Ibu dan Anak (estimated
\nS$4,400-5,400) went for S$6,000.<\/p>\n
A number of the other lots sold for prices within the
\nestimates.<\/p>\n
Ivan Sagito's Yang Selalu Mengulang-Ulang Gerak Hatinya (That
\nWhich Always Pounds at the Heart) went for S$70,000 (estimated
\nS$50,000-70.000); Wu Guanshong's Boulders Near White Walled House
\n(estimated S$90,000- 20,000) went for S$109,000; Sudjana Kerton's
\nNike estimated S$80,000- 100,000 went for S$90,000; and Rudolf
\nBonnet's Portrait of a Balinese Dancer (estimated S$37,000-
\n45,000) went for S$40,000.<\/p>\n
Fang Lijun's 2002.10.1 (estimated S$35,000-45,000) went for
\nS$38,000, and Zhang Xiaogan's Bloodline no. 3, Bloodline no. 7
\n(estimated S$25,000-30,000) went for S$25,000.<\/p>\n
With 72 percent of 83 lots sold at a total hammer price of
\nS$17,85,300, the auction, which was held at a time when holidays
\nand wedding receptions abounded, reaped a relatively good result.
\nAbove all, the auction revealed both a professional maturity in
\nrealistic pricing, as well as increased selectiveness of the
\nbidders.<\/p>\n
Larasati launched its first auction on April 30, 2000. Titled
\nPictures of Indonesia, the show featured 140 paintings, ranging
\nfrom old masters to young artists, including also senior artists
\nwhose names had yet to climb the ladder of popularity. That first
\nauction generated almost US$470,590 against a pre-sale estimate
\nof $294,118.<\/p>\n
In the same year, Larasati formed a strategic partnership with
\nGlerum, said to be the largest independent auction house in the
\nNetherlands. Mr. Glerum was a longtime Sotheby's director before
\nhe established his own company in Amsterdam in 1989. Focusing on
\nIndonesian works, it went to Singapore in 1994. But six years
\nlater Glerum teamed up with Larasati, to the benefit of both.<\/p>\n
Looking back at their three-year existence, one is struck by
\nthe success of the team behind the auction house. They have
\nemerged in the new dynamic of the young generation, who come from
\nvarious backgrounds but have a shared appreciation of and vision
\nfor their auction house.<\/p>\n
Amir Sidharta's background flows along many fields, such as
\narchitecture, museum science, communication, as well as in the
\nroles of art critic and curator. Daniel Komala is a scientist,
\nfamiliar with the art world through his mother, a collector. Yudi
\nWanandi is an architect whose family has artistic interests.<\/p>\n
Larasati proceeds to highlight young Indonesian painters but
\ndoes not forget the old masters, at the same time pursuing the
\ndevelopment of an Asian international forum with professionalism
\nof international standards. In a short period of time, it has
\nbecome the first and most reputable Asian auction house -- and
\none to be reckoned with internationally.<\/p>\n
\"We want to be the best in Asia and we're going for that,\"
\nsaid Daniel.<\/p>",
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