'Mooi Indie' works dominate local auction
'Mooi Indie' works dominate local auction
By Boudewijn Brands
JAKARTA (JP): On Kartini day last Sunday, the joint
auctioneers, Larasati-Glerum South East Asia, set records again
in their second sale. The event attracted at least 500 people, of
which 240 were active bidders.
Of 208 lots, 170 were sold for a total amount of Rp 10.45
billion. This is an increase of 12 percent over the turnover
received last year. The sale was conducted in rupiah. However, on
the screen showing both a picture of the work for sale and the
price in progress during the auction, amounts in foreign currency
were shown at the same time.
What was surprising was the exchange rates used: US$1=Rp
12,000; S$1= Rp 6,500 and NLG 1=Rp 5000. So those with foreign
exchange to spend had a good time if they watched the prices in
those currencies. And some really good prices were achieved: lot
49, a work by Le Man Fong originally acquired in the Hague in
l950, went for Rp 340 million. The audience applauded when Rp 320
million was reached.
At 2.30 p.m, one and a half hours after the official starting
time, auction master Rob Mulders brought the gavel down on an
early Raden Saleh for Rp 1 billion. However, we did not find this
painting, lot 64, in the results list. This might have been due
to the exchange rates as the seller had probably set a limit in
dollars. So, this amount was not included in the sales figure
total of more than Rp 10 billion.
Lot 88 Sarong Bugis by Mochtar Apin, received applause when Rp
250 million was reached. It was sold for Rp 260 million. The most
expensive item was lot 37 Ni Polok one of many by Adrien Le
Mayeur de Merpres, which went for a staggering Rp 2.3 billion.
This is nearly half a million guilders or a mere US$191.700 (all
excluding auction surcharges). An Indonesian collector bought the
piece.
A total of 208 lots were originally for sale. The offers came
from both European and local collectors. According to Rob
Mulders, most Mooi Indie ( or pre-war art with Indonesia a
subject made mostly by foreign artists) still comes from Europe.
A prominent Indonesian collector had offered 14 works for sale
from his collection of about 200 works on this occasion. Amir
Sidharta introduced him in the catalog in a sympathetic way. From
the description of his business activities he could be recognized
by Indonesians, but he was discreetly referred to as "a
gentleman."
This seemed to stimulate other collectors. Lot 170, A Foot
Massage on the Beach of Bali produced in 1972 by Hendra Gunawan
fetched a record price of Rp 650 million. It was found in an
attic in Amsterdam, and in remarkably good condition for that.
Also interesting was the relatively large number of works by
William Hofker offered for sale: 18 lots. Six of them could be
identified as having been offered earlier in Glerum's auction of
the estate of the late Maria Hofker-Reuter that took place on May
21, 2000 in Amsterdam (see The Jakarta Post of Dec. 17, 2000).
The innovation here was that some of them had nothing to do
with Indonesia but were beautifully executed works of places in
Copenhagen or Italy. Willem Hofker's self-portrait with beard,
lot 208 at Glerum's, was now offered as lot 71 in Larasati-
Glerum's sale and auctioned off in Jakarta for Rp 100 million.
It shows that appreciation of his work in Indonesia goes further
than just sweet scenes from Bali. This shows that the market has
become more mature.
In line with Glerum's pioneer spirit, another experiment was
introduced. Rob Mulders felt that the taste of the Indonesian
collector is still relatively conservative. As an example:
abstract work is relatively less well appreciated here than in
Europe. So he offered for sale in Jakarta an abstract painting by
Adolf Breetvelt (lot 105). This artist, born in l892, did work in
Indonesia before the World War II. We do not know if the Abstract
Composition sold here was created before or after his return to
the Netherlands in l938. The work was however offered for sale in
the Netherlands and went under the hammer at Rp 45 million.
Works of young Indonesian artists did very well in this
auction. They were sold at prices that galleries would probably
not have dared to ask previously. Artists in this category are
Ivan Sagito, Made Djirna, Dede Eri Supria, Sutjipto Adi, Nasirun,
Pande Ketut Taman, Erica Hestu Wahyuni, Nyoman Masriadi and
Ardison.
The auction had very much the character of a social event.
Many friends met and as discretion is the rule, it is difficult
to tell who is selling. Only buyers can be seen, as they must
make it clear when they are making an offer to the auctioneer.
One of the collectors selling through this auction was monologue
and theater artist Butet Kartaredjasa. He enjoyed the event.
And, after all, any collector wanting to change his collection
would like to return a work to the artist from whom he bought it
initially. Or are there any galleries giving a buy-back guarantee
if the collector changes his taste? Luckily, there are auctions,
and this one was certainly another step in the right direction.
The writer is an avid art collector based in the Netherlands.