Richard Winkler (b. 1969)

Bountiful Harvest

Details
Richard Winkler (b. 1969)
Bountiful Harvest
signed and dated 'Winkler 2003' (lower left)
oil on canvas
60 x 80 cm. (23 1/2 x 31 1/2 in.)
Painted in 2003

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Eric Chang
Eric Chang

Lot Essay

This season, Christie's is pleased to present a collection of contemporary paintings inspired by the beauty and serenity of the Indonesian island of Bali. Following the example of a preceding generation of artists, this generation of foreign painters have chosen to settle down in the tropical paradise of Bali and make their immediate surroundings the basis of their art. The presented works are united in their bright colours and rich illustration of the fauna and flora.


Since 1964, the Dutch Swiss-born painter Paul Husner has worked in Amsterdam where he studied graphic art and painting at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. Awardee of several Dutch prizes, he was Professor at the Rijksakademie van BeeldendeKunsten in Amsterdam where he taught drawing and painting from 1980 to 1988. Husner is regarded as one of the 'new generation' of artist to carry on the tradition of representing Bali. The presented work Selling Corn outside Museum Le Mayeur (Lot 392) depicts the beach and bay of the Balinese village, Sanur. In the foreground we can observe a corn-seller working at the edge of the water. On the left side of the canvas, a young man dressed in blue seems to flirt with the young seller, who does not betray any signs of being distracted. The canvas is divided in two parts, the left side with the beach and bay of Sanur and on the right side the clear blue sea and the volcano in the background. The use of warm and golden colours narrates the pleasant life under the tropical sun.

Richard Winkler was born in Sweden in 1969. His interest for art began in his early years as his grandfather, a painter, gave him his first lessons. After studying visual arts at the Nyckelviken School of Arts, Winkler continued to the Beckmans School of Design where he studied fine art and graphic design. In 1997, the Swedish painter and sculptor decided to settle down in Bali to fully dedicate his time to art. Winkler is primarily famous for his colourful and bright works. Fascinated by the human anatomy, his paintings depict figures with fertile, tubular forms within flora and fauna inspired by his Balinese surroundings. The presented work Bountiful Harvest (Lot 391) is an archetypal piece in Winkler's oeuvre. The bright colours, the sensual form of the depicted female figure and the abundance of fruits narrate the prosperous life of tropical living.

Rod Knudslien grew up on a dairy farm in a small community on the Canadian prairie. At an early age he began to explore art, and the childhood impressions he gained of the changing prairie landscape, light and color remains a lasting influence on his work.

After a long time of travelling and immersion into different cultures, Rod Knudslien decided to settle down in the Balinese village of Sanur. Inspired by the beautiful things that surround him, the artist never stopped exploring colour and light by frequently changing subject, technique and style. As a result, his work can be seen as a vivid visual travelogue, documenting his life experience.

The presented work Balinese Offerings to the God (Lot 393) depict eight women carrying rich fruit platters on their heads, narrating a typical Balinese scene of the offerings known in Balinese as banten.

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