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Uncovering hidden gems: The art exhibition for everyone to visit during Singapore Art Week
Open to all from Jan 14 to 18 at 5 Jiak Kim Street, the Sotheby’s Modern & Contemporary Art auction preview features pieces, including rare Raden Saleh painting, before they go under the hammer on the last evening
A rare painting by Indonesian master Raden Saleh will headline Sotheby’s Modern & Contemporary Art auction, which takes place at 5 Jiak Kim Street on Jan 18, 2025. PHOTO: SOTHEBY’S
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One of the first Indonesian artists to study European painting techniques in the 19th century, Raden Saleh trained in the Netherlands and mastered Romanticism, a style characterised by dramatic compositions and emotional intensity.
Often, he subtly infused his works with elements of his Indonesian heritage, which made them uniquely captivating to his European audience.
Singaporeans and art aficionados will soon have an opportunity to appreciate his mastery as his Javanese Landscape: View of Merbabu and Merapi painting will headline the Modern & Contemporary Art auction by Sotheby’s
The auction preview, which is open to the public, will take place from Jan 14 to 18, 2025, at 5 Jiak Kim Street, with the auction held on Jan 18 at the same venue.
A key highlight of the Singapore Art Week, Sotheby’s Modern & Contemporary Art auction underscores the country’s burgeoning status as a vital hub in the global art market. PHOTO: SOTHEBY’S
The event, which is into its fourth edition, invites art lovers and collectors alike to engage with an impressive array of artworks.
This accessibility reflects the international auction house’s goal of democratising art appreciation and creating a vibrant community around contemporary artistic expression.
The auction also coincides with leading international art fair Art SG a key highlight of Singapore Art Week
Sotheby’s Modern & Contemporary Art auction has different art types, which will resonate with everyone, from neophytes to collectors. PHOTO: SOTHEBY’S
Ms Jasmine Prasetio, managing director of Sotheby’s South-east Asia, calls the Singapore Art Week an event where “collectors and the art community congregate to celebrate the wonder and excitement that art brings”.
She says: “The collection we have carefully curated includes a sculpture by [Singapore-born British artist] Kim Lim, whose ongoing exhibition at the National Gallery Singapore has garnered critical acclaim.”
In addition to Saleh’s masterpiece, the auction also features works by globally famous artists such as Marc Chagall, Mark Bradford, Christine Ay Tjoe and Takashi Murakami alongside South-east Asian masters including Cheong Soo Pieng, S. Sudjojono and Chen Wen Hsi.
Also debuting in Singapore are American visual artist Mark Bradford, whose works delve into themes of race, class and gender; as well as Brazilian contemporary painter Lucas Arruda known for his evocative landscapes and seascapes that blur reality and imagination.
Auction highlights that art lovers should look out for
Javanese Landscape: View of Merbabu and Merapi (1862), Raden Saleh
At the heart of the Sotheby’s modern and contemporary art auction is a standout piece by Raden Saleh (1811–1880), often dubbed Indonesia’s Old Master.
Javanese Landscape: View of Merbabu and Merapi (1862) encapsulates Indonesian master Raden Saleh’s deep connection to his homeland. PHOTO: SOTHEBY’S
Expected to fetch between $1 million (US$740,000) and $2.2 million, Javanese Landscape: View of Merbabu and Merapi reinforces his status as one of South-east Asia’s most important nationalist artists.
Saleh captures the majesty of Central Java’s Mount Merbabu and Mount Merapi with striking detail, crisp contours and vibrant colours.
In the painting that has been in the same private collection for the past century, he depicts Mount Merapi, an active volcano, with an awe-inspiring presence that evokes both beauty and danger. This reflects the complex relationship between nature and humanity in Indonesian society.
La danse autour de la corbeille (1975), Marc Chagall
Known for his vibrant use of color and dreamlike imagery, Marc Chagall painted La danse autour de la corbeille on the day of his wedding anniversary. PHOTO: SOTHEBY’S
Marc Chagall (1887–1985)’s vibrant pieces are known for their emotional depth and mastery of colour.
La danse autour de la corbeille – a piece dedicated to his wife Vava on their wedding anniversary – radiates warmth through its use of vermillion and tangerine tones.
The colour scheme also creates an atmosphere filled with joy, love and positivity synonymous with the French artist’s works.
The painting is expected to go under the hammer between $1.35 million and $2.7 million.
Voies inexploirees (2007), Chu Teh-Chun
Chu Teh-Chun (1920–2014), a Chinese-French artist renowned for his abstract landscapes, brings a unique perspective to this auction.
Chu Teh-Chun, who painted Voies inexploirees (2007), was the first ethnic Chinese member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in France in 1997. PHOTO: SOTHEBY’S
His works often integrate traditional Chinese painting styles with Western abstraction, resulting in dynamic compositions that convey movement and emotion through colour and form.
Voies inexploirees, priced between $520,000 and $850,000 and featured in this auction, exemplifies his ability to blend these influences seamlessly, showcasing rhythmic motions of ethereal yellows and blues that evoke feelings of tranquility and introspection.
Lights for the Layer (2011), Christine Ay Tjoe
Acclaimed contemporary artist Christine Ay Tjoe (B.1973 –) known for her expressive abstractions will be represented at the auction with Lights for the Layer.
Lights for the Layer (2011) by Christine Ay Tjoe, which is priced between $950,000 and $3 million, invites art enthusiasts to look beyond the surface into the complexities of human experience. PHOTO: SOTHEBY’S
For this oil on canvas painting, the Indonesian painter describes it as featuring “layers which are seen and unseen” – an exploration balancing figuration and abstraction, imbued with maternal love and hope.
Expressive shapes and gestural lines, mostly in shades of red, form vibrant layers. These colourful patches reflect her perspective on society, where we see only the surface and not the hidden depths beneath.
Landscape paintings: More than just depictions of nature?
The curatorial theme for this year’s auction is “Landscapes: As Far as the Heart Can See”, which dives into how landscape paintings capture socio-cultural significance across various contexts.
Exhibition and auction attendees can consider landscapes not merely as representations of nature, but also as reflections of an artist’s inner world and understanding of life itself.
Ms Prasetio explains that the theme “explores the subject of landscape through different lenses across cultures, time, geography, history, and stylistic movements”.
“While the theme endures, the emotion and meaning it evokes become hallmarks of our culture and era,” she adds.
The selected artworks embody this exploration, illustrating how landscape painting serves dual purposes: It captures objective reality while also expressing personal interpretations.
From Saleh’s richly detailed Javanese landscapes shaped by his cultural heritage to French master Chagall’s celebratory scenes infused with emotional resonance, each piece offers insights into the diverse ways artists engage with their environments.
The artworks selected for the auction showcase current artistic trends while catering to an increasingly sophisticated collector base in South-east Asia.
As interest in regional artists grows, Sotheby’s aims to highlight these talents alongside established international names, creating dynamic dialogues that resonate across cultures.
In the process, it aims to cultivate deeper connections with art enthusiasts and collectors, positioning Singapore as a central player in the international art arena.
Sotheby’s modern and contemporary art auction preview Register to take part and bid in the auction
