Under the Hammer

Ahead of our Southeast Asian Modern and Contemporary Art auction taking place in Hong Kong on 6th October, Bonhams Director for Southeast Asia, Bernadette Rankine, shares her top five picks coming under the hammer .

Southeast Asian art draws on a vast geographic region, encompassing Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines and Cambodia. Against this diverse background, the desire for artists to reinvent themselves and formulate their identities in a post-colonial era saw innovative leaps forward with a nod to the past .

The search for identity is paramount for Southeast Asian artists who were increasingly threatened by industrialisation impacting cities like Singapore; these themes commonly feature in Southeast Asian artworks including many pieces from our upcoming Modern and Contemporary art sale.

Bernadette Rankine, Director of Bonhams Southeast Asia.

Lot 3

Georgette Chen (1907-1992), The Sam Sui Worker

This iconic portrait of a woman, a labourer, is seen through the lens of a fellow émigré from China settling in their new home, Singapore.

The artist, Georgette Chen, came from a privileged background. Her husband was the first foreign minister of China, she trained in Paris, exhibited in the Salon d’Automne, the Paris World Fair and, significantly, in the 1937 Women Painters Exhibition. When compared to Chen’s other portraits, The Sam Sui Worker stands her ground. It is one of her only portraits to include a background- the worker surrounded by verdant trees and bright green leaves, contrasting with the dire conditions in which she would have worked and lived.

The Sam Sui Worker is a true ode to women; an artwork of a woman, painted by a woman and even bought by a woman named Mrs Ryan, an avid collector. Singapore’s first women’s magazine, Her World, published The Sam Sui Worker in 1961 and dedicated an entire centre spread to Chen together with a pastel portrait of Mrs Ryan.

Lot 6

Ng Eng Teng (1934-2001), Untitled

Lot 6, Untitled, was created by Singaporean artist Ng Eng Teng, one of Georgette Chen’s protégés. Created as part of his “rocker” series in 1972, this ciment fondu sculpture marks a transition in the artist’s oeuvre- from static to kinetic work. The sculpture is intended to interact with the viewer, rocking and rolling around like a roly-poly toy (in Chinese 不倒翁, budaoweng). Ng Eng Teng was a fearless artist, exploring the human condition by using unorthodox materials.

I chose Untitled as one of my top picks as I believe that it is a strong piece which demands attention. Not for the faint hearted, it is extremely confrontational and addresses the darker side of our emotions: fear, anguish and anxiety. These states of being tend to be hidden from public view but here, they are cast in cement for all to see.

Lot 2

Liu Kang (1911-2004), Ni Pollok

This pastel portrait was painted by prominent Nanyang School artist, Liu Kang. In 1952, Liu Kang along with the rest of the Nanyang School travelled on an artistic quest to Bali which became a great source of inspiration for them. While Singapore was undergoing rapid urbanisation, Bali was perceived as “paradise on Earth”, unspoilt and untainted by industrialisation. Whilst exploring the island, they encountered artist, Adrian-Jean Le Mayeur, who welcomed them into his home and introduced them to his wife and muse, Ni Pollok.

Ni Pollock was a famous legong dancer and was often exoticized and romanticised by artists who painted her. Liu Kang’s portrait, however, is rare in its sincerity. Here, she is depicted as a pensive beauty deep in thought after a long day entertaining a large group of guests at her home.

Lot 12

Tô-Ngoc-Vân (1906-1954), Paysage

Paysage was painted by Vietnamese artist, Tô-Ngoc-Vân, whilst he was working as a teacher at the Lycée Sisovath in Cambodia in 1935. Close to the Tonle Sap River and the Mekong River, it is likely that Ngoc-Vân began working “en plein air” one sunny day- inspired by the gorgeous tropical scenery just outside the classroom.

I am drawn to the rich colours, tones and textures in this very peaceful landscape which follows the trail of the Buddhist monks to their sacred jungle sanctuary. Certainly, a beautiful piece to have in one's collection.

Lot 22

Chaichana Luetrakun (b. 1991), Waterscape II

The beautifully haunting Waterscape II (2020) was painted by contemporary Thai artist, Chaichana Luetrakun. Imposing in both size and subject matter, Waterscape II is a clear comment on the threat of pollution and the crisis of waste that plagues modern society. Rather than a waterscape, as the painting’s title suggest, we are confronted with a tangled pile of debris- including various types of aircraft, from Boeings to military jets.

Luetrakun’s attention to detail is truly breath-taking. Even though he paints from his imagination, we know that there is truth in the story he tells. I admire this young artist's talent and courage in flooding his canvas with a wasteland of aircraft remnants, laying bare the disposable nature of our modern consumer-driven society. His mastery with the brush- balanced line, shape, value, space and form attract the viewer to a subject which is the complete opposite.

Bernadette Rankine is the Bonhams Director of Southeast Asia. You can reach her at bernadette.rankine@bonhams.com