January 14, 2014 edition

The exhibition S. Sudjojono: Art, Life, and Legacy, which was held at the Pakarti Building of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta on December 12-22, featured a nude painting by Sudjojono, which collectors have quietly been talking about.
The painting in question is Tempat Mandi di Pinggir Laut ("Bathing Spot by the Sea"). It strongly resembles another one of Sudjojono's paintings titled Dunia tanpa Pria ("World Without Men"). Both paintings portray over a dozen nude women relaxing outdoors behind large stones at the edge of a water pool . The difference is, one woman in Tempat Mandi di Pinggir Laut is wearing transparent brocade, while in the other she is uncovered.
So far these 'twin' paintings have never been publicly discussed. A book launched during the exhibition made no discussion of it either. More's the pity, the painting Dunia tanpa Pria was not present in the exhibition. Did Sudjojono make both the paintings? Or is there a possibility that one of them is a fake? What is the opinion of Putra Masagung, who owns Dunia tanpa Pria? Here is Tempo's analysis.

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More Interlude articles in other editions

December 10, 2013 edition

Those words were spoken by Lee Rern, 77, eldest son of the late painter Lee Man Fong. Rern has been reluctant to make public appearances, preferring to stay out of the spotlight in Singapore. "I moved there after the May 1998 riots (in Indonesia)," said Rern, a painter in his own right and a grandfather of two.

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