.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
"Affandi's paintings reveal an individual with a zest for life, one who marveled at sunflowers growing in the wild, who was caught up with the drama of stormy seas and Balinese cockfights… Although he was by nature restless, he did not seem to be tired of the usual stock of themes… These he visited frequently in his paintings, releasing with each revisit a fresh vigor and urgency that came from a need to satisfy what Affandi himself described as 'a hunger to paint." (Joanne Lee, 12 Asean Artists, Balai Seni Lukis Negara 2000, Kuala Lumpur, 2000, p.12).
Adhering to his humanist calling, Affandi's works have always encompassed a direct observation and representation of the world surrounding him. Affandi was especially devoted to painting the daily scenes of the Indonesian life, and throughout his career made a constant effort to capture and elevate the best and most beautiful aspects of his homeland within his canvases.
In Fighting Roosters in Baskets (Lot 337), Affandi presents a serene depiction of fighting roosters resting in their individual baskets, in the calming moments before the commencement of the vicious cockfight where soon they will challenge others as competitors. Juxtaposed to the seemingly tranquil atmosphere of the painting, the fierce expressions of the roosters rendered with Affandi's expressive lines create an underlying tension and anticipation in the scene.
Adhering to his humanist calling, Affandi's works have always encompassed a direct observation and representation of the world surrounding him. Affandi was especially devoted to painting the daily scenes of the Indonesian life, and throughout his career made a constant effort to capture and elevate the best and most beautiful aspects of his homeland within his canvases.
In Fighting Roosters in Baskets (Lot 337), Affandi presents a serene depiction of fighting roosters resting in their individual baskets, in the calming moments before the commencement of the vicious cockfight where soon they will challenge others as competitors. Juxtaposed to the seemingly tranquil atmosphere of the painting, the fierce expressions of the roosters rendered with Affandi's expressive lines create an underlying tension and anticipation in the scene.