Art and Society:

Hendra Gunawan
5W1H When
1918 - 1983

How
Where
Painting
Indonesia
Sculpture

Hendra
Gunawan
Why
Nationalist Which
at heart Theatrical
Realism
What
Everyday life.
Revolutionary
themes.
Key Dates
1918: He was born in Bandung Indonesia.
1939: Met Affandi who was an inspiration to him.
1942-44: Active exhibition in POETERA and the Keimin
Bungka Shidoso in Jakarta.
1945-49: Joined the Indonesian army during the
anti-colonial revolution.
1946-: Settled in Yogyakarta.
Hornsey College of Art, London.
1950-57: Taught at ASRI.
1955: Nominated into the Communist Party.
1968: He married his student Nurhaeni who was much
younger than he was.
1983: He died at the age of 65.
When (1918 – 1983)
1937: Sino-Japanese War.
1939: World War II.
1940: German Occupation of Netherlands.
1942-45: Japanese Invasion in Southeast Asia.
1945: Dutch returned to claim Indonesia
once more.
1949: Indonesia gained independence.
Where (Indonesia)
 Indonesia was ruled by the Dutch East India company since the
1602 to 1799.
 The Dutch government wound up the company when it was not
doing well. However, the Dutch continued to rule.
 Since then, there had been many rebellions as Indonesia became
more independent.
 Nevertheless, Indonesia still remained as a Dutch colony
until1942 due to the Japanese invasion.
 When the Dutch returned after 1945, the Indonesians put up a
fierce battle
Theme - Family

Q1) Describe and

analyse this painting

Family Portrait, 1968.

Oil on canvas, 200 x 147 cm.
Theme – Self Portrait
Horse head. Gunawan’s
Chinese horoscope is the
horse.

Me, Dasamuka / Ten-Headed, c.1968

Theme - Family

Pengorbanan Ibu, (A mother’s sacrifice), 1973

Theme - Loneliness

Longing for the family to be united.

Dry Lizard, 1977

Oil on canvas

The Haji’s Family, 1990

Acrylic on board, 51 x 80 cm
What
 Shows himself as an old man with long hair
and beard.
 He is in the prison cell feeding a small lizard
to a cat.
 He is wearing a sweater and a jacket over his
batik shorts- cold.
 The cell has very little light and no view of the
outside environment.
 His face is softened with a slight smile.
 The work emphasizes companionship-
between him and the cat- a sign of loneliness.
Theme- Life of Indonesians

Revolutionary Bride/ The War Wedding, 1955

Oil on canvas, 114 x 91 cm
Theme - Life of Indonesians
Q2) What do you notice
about the colour, brushwork
and composition?

Keramas, 1975
Theme - Life of Indonesians

Fish market by the beach

Batik Sellers, 1954

Theme - Life of Indonesians

a woman selling chicken

on the way to or from
the market
Theme: Life of Indonesians

Menynsui Anak- Tetangga, (Nursing the neighbour’s baby) , 1975

Theme- Life of Indonesians

Selling Vegetable on the Beach,

Oil on canvas,
Theme- Life of Indonesians

Papaya Seller,
Oil on canvas, 96 x 114 cm
Theme- Life of Indonesians

Kris Dance Ubud Bali, 1982

Oil on canvas,
Theme- Women
Woman was a reflection of Hendra’s universe. His
obsession with all things Indonesian finds perfect
expression with this subject. If she was breast-feeding her
baby, she was a symbol of the artist's beloved country, the
young republic of Indonesia. If she was depicted in glorious
colours, dressed in traditional batik, she was the symbol of
the great Javanese culture that was close to the artist's
heart. With her large feet planted firmly on the ground,
she symbolises strength, endurance and willingness to
work. Placed in a grandiose landscape, the lines and curves
of her body mirror the lines and curves of the dramatic
landscape and thus embody all that is beautiful and
Indonesian.
Theme- Women
The artist's muse is not a specific person - he drew inspiration from the
many women he knew. She could be a street vendor, a neighbour, a
family member, or someone he saw passing by. He was able to
transform brief glimpses of women into eternal icons on his canvasses.
Theme- Women

Seated Woman, 1975

Theme- Women

Wanita, c 1970
Theme- Women
Revolutionary Theme

War and Peace, c. late 1950s- early 1960s

Singapore Art Museum
Revolutionary Theme
War and Peace was painted between 1950s and 60s. It was based on a
revolutionary struggle of the Indonesians against the Dutch in the early 20th
century. The subject matter is patriotic, though not idealised, and he shows the
commoner as the hero in this revolution.
His style here shows a loose treatment of simplified forms. ‘Messy’
brushstrokes add a whimsical and free feel to the composition. An exotic and
dream-like quality in the painting is suggested by a sweet, vibrant and dream-
like colour co-ordination, together with the snaky lines and curves which recall
influence from tradition decoration s-shapes and curves, repeating and
interlocking.

 Who are these people in this painting? What do they look like and what are they doing? Are
they meant to be ‘real’ people, or are they meant to be symbols?

 If the figures in the painting are symbols, then what do they symbolise and how does this relate
to the title? What do you think the man with the gun is ready to fight about? What kind of
expression is he wearing? How can you tell he is a common Indonesian man?

 Explain what you think is the meaning of this picture? Do you think there is a specific message
that it wants to impart to the viewer?

 The artist himself involved in a war for independence in Indonesia - do you think that experience
makes his painting more truthful or important? How does the style of the painting, and in particular,
the background, enhance the message of the work?
Revolutionary Theme

Q3) Compare this painting with an artwork by Goya.

RevolutionaryTheme

Perang Buleleng di Bali Model,1982

Which
Theatrical Realism
 Painting in a naturalistic manner.
 Elements of theatrics- dramatized.
 Visible in the poses of the figures and their
expressions.
 Uses exaggeration to a point of caricature.
What
Subject Matter
 Natives engaged in everyday lives- work, play or relaxation.
 Women.
 Figures in revolutionary scenes.

Revolutionary Themes
 Anti-colonial Indonesia.
Indonesian Culture and Family  Nationalism.
 Celebrations.
 Families portraits.
Why
His Background-
 He was thrown out of the house by his
gambler father when he wanted to paint.
 He joined a theatrical troupe at 19 and
apart from performing, he painted the
sceneries.
 He studied landscape painting with Wahdi
and Giorgi Giseken (a porcelain
industralist).
 Met Affandi and was greatly encouraged by
him to take up painting as a career.
 He was imprisoned and upon his release,
he set up a studio at Batuan village at Bali-
Why
His Background- Political Activist
 He was part of the Student Troops and an active member of
POETRA (Center of Popular Power). It was a nationalist group
led by Indonesia’s famous Sukarno, Hatta, Ki Hadjar Dewantara
and KH Mansur.

 He was also active with Persagi (The Association of Indonesian

Painters) set up by S. Soedjojono and Agus Djaya in 1938.

 Joined the Indonesian army during the anti-colonial revolution

from 1945-49- he painted anti-Dutch posters during this time.

 Nominated into the Communist Party in 1955.

 He was incarcerated for being involved in LEKRA (Institute of

Popular Culture). It is an cultural organization that was tied to
Indonesian Communist Party (now defunct).

 He was set free in 1978.

How
Use multiple layers of contrast:-
 Near and distant views.

 Large and small figures.

 Some areas are thick and dense with paint.

 Others are airy and open or sketchily done.

 Forms are flat but round and modulated.

 Textural and coarse areas with more refined

areas.
 Areas that appear unfinished and outlined by
a single brushstroke.
Artistic influences

Me, Dasamuka / Ten-Headed, c.1968 Kwan Kong, the Legendary General, 1965
By Affandi
References
 http://www.hendragunawanbook.com/prof
il.htm