Biennale X to close with auction

Biennale X to close with auction

By Amir Sidharta

JAKARTA (JP): The works from Biennale X, Jakarta's tenth fine
arts biennial, will be auctioned off tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at
the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Central Jakarta.

Approximately 90 paintings will be offered at estimates from a
modest Rp 1 million to a lavish sum of Rp 60 million.

Paintings by Herry Dim, an artist who usually does
installations, are also priced quite low. However, his paintings
may be a little too obscure for the average collector.

Hanura Hosea's Meeting of the Taste Committee (1996), a 90 by
100 centimeter acrylic on canvas, might be the most popular piece
on offer. It has been commended by some art critics in Indonesia
for its cynical social commentary. Though one of the lowest
priced paintings in the auction at Rp 1 million, it is expected
to be sold for much more. Hanura's second painting, Obedient
Participants, is a large and very interesting piece which is also
very reasonably priced.

Rudi S.T. Darma's sketches display the high potential of the
artist. Although the paintings do not stand out, they have been
sought after by a few collectors. Four watercolors by young
artist Bunga Jeruk Permata Pekerti, titled Alamanda, Ex-Bride, To
Solo, and Dinner for Two are all romantic depictions which seem
to be set in Europe. Each priced at Rp 1.5 million, the idyllic
paintings are also expected to sell well.

Another very popular painter is Jerry Thung. Three Golden
Points and Borobudur, with estimates of Rp 2.5 million and Rp 5
million, have generated a lot of interest. Many believe them to
be perfect for a Chinese or Japanese restaurant in Indonesia, as
they contain visual elements of Indonesian culture and are
handled with exquisite simplicity.

Toward the end of the biennial, a foreign art dealer expressed
interest in purchasing some of the paintings directly. When he
was informed that all the works were to be auctioned, he was
rather skeptical. He was not happy when he found out that his
client was among those who had already expressed interest in the
painting.

Nasirun, whose works belong to what I call the Yogyakarta
Expressionist school, is offering his paintings for prices
ranging from Rp 5 million to Rp 10 million.

Meanwhile, budding Balinese artist Nyoman Erawan, who emerged
in the previous biennial with his installations, appears this
year with strong paintings. The paintings range from Rp 8 million
to Rp 26 million. The difference in pricing is usually based on
size.

Some of the paintings to be offered are steep in price. Dan
Hisman Kartakusumah's Floating Mass (acrylic on plywood, 1996) is
indeed a large piece. However, many doubt that it will be sold
for the asking price of Rp 45 million.

Utoyo Hadi's 1996 Jubah Emas (oil on canvas, 120 by 145 cm)
has a high asking price of Rp 35 million. The curators of the
biennial say that a lot of people asked about this piece, but
backed out when they heard the price. However, the painter has
offered to present two other paintings for Rp 10 million each.

Astari Rasyid's 1996 Temple of Efflorescence (oil on canvas,
200 by 130 cm), has been hailed as the artist's best painting. It
is priced rather dearly at Rp 35 million. However, the organizers
of the biennial seem to have no doubt that the painting will
sell.

Finally, the most impressive piece is Dede Eri Supria's
Between the Gate II. Unlike his other paintings which
include human figures, this painting is devoid of human
representation.

Some art critics have attributed the artist's reluctance to
portray human figures to his recent haj pilgrimage. This large
oil on canvas, measuring two meters high and four meters wide, is
the show's largest piece as well as the most expensive. Priced at
Rp 60 million, it is actually quite reasonable, as the artist's
smaller works sell for Rp 30 million.

Organizers of the show hope that some major collectors or
corporations will show interest in this painting. Dede is
certainly one of the most famous artists to have participated in
the biennial.

Proceeds from the auction will go to the Biennial Committee to
prepare for the next biennial. Initially, the committee rejected
the proposal of the auction, saying that it would contaminate the
sanctity of the biennial institution. However, when one of the
works selected for the show by the committee turned out to be
sold to a collector, the committee realized that the biennial
adds value. If the committee did not reap the profits from the
sale of the paintings, then galleries and dealers would take the
opportunity instead.

Some of the artists do not support the auction, but most think
it is a good idea. After all, the biennials that have been held
since 1972 have helped many emerging artists find their place on
the Indonesian fine arts map.