“I would often say that my works contain a set of idioms which have very personal meanings to me. I leave some visual cues in my works which act as a melancholic conundrum, for my audiences to set their eyes and mind upon.”
— Roby Dwi Antono
Born in 1990, the exceptionally talented, self-taught Roby Dwi Antono is an Indonesian visual artist who has gained significant international recognition in recent years for his distinct visual language that blends fantastical imagery with Surrealist and Renaissance aesthetics. Employing a colour palette of primarily dusky, warm tones, Antono’s work brings to life whimsical narratives that are ambiguously obscure yet deeply personal, featuring meticulously rendered mythological creatures and starry-eyed children that have come to be adored by a rapidly increasing audience across the globe.
The artist working in his studio
Image Courtesy of Hypebeast MagazinePainted in 2016, A Bar of Char is a classic example of the artist’s surrealist portraiture infused with a touch of humour. Set in Renaissance-esque natural landscape, the centrally positioned protagonist–a macrocephalic tree fairy with bunny ears– floats mid-air. An interesting juxtaposition is presented between the girl’s serene expression, which seems to echo the serenity of the environment, and the urgency of the perishing situation she finds herself within. This sense of uncanniness becomes even stranger once it is realised, upon a closer inspection, that she holds a flaming match in between her index finger and thumb, indicating that she is the cause of the blackening ash.
“What I want is for people to look at the paintings and smile, but also stand there stunned or with a sense of sadness.”
— Roby Dwi Antono
Drawing upon themes of heroism, pop culture, and macabre humour to illuminate the contradictions of the human experience, Antono softens his compositions with a subdued colour palette that is evocative of the yellowing of vintage photographs. In doing so, the artist strikes a unique balance between theatrically and emotional depth that is inspired, in part, by the surrealist painters Mark Ryden and Marion Peck. Trained as an illustrator, the deftness and precision of the artist’s hand are clearly seen in the portrayal of the curious subject in A Bar of Char, whose depiction is darkly endearing, evoking both melancholy and empathy.
Roby Dwi Antono, Muram Temaram, 2013
Sold by Phillips Hong Kong, 29 November 2021, for HK$2,394,000 (Premium), achieving a record price at auction at the time. This work is currently the artist’s second top record at auction.“I love it when people try to guess the message behind my works and in the end each person will have their own interpretation, which is good because it opens the way for another enriching dialogue between us. The human experience affects both the idea and visual aspect of my works.”
— Roby Dwi AntonoAntono’s work has featured in numerous exhibitions in Indonesia and internationally. His latest solo exhibitions include Roby Dwi Antono Samantha at Anat Ebgi, Los Angeles (29 October — 10 December 2022); The Wall: Roby Dwi Antono at Almine Rech Brussels (27 October — 3 December 2022); and RUMPUS at NANZUKA, Tokyo (9 January – 6 February 2022). The artist lives and works in Yogyakarta.Provenance
Srisasanti Syndicate, Yogyakarta
Acquired from the above by the present owner
186
A Bar of Char
oil on canvas
60 x 50 cm. (23 5/8 x 19 5/8 in.)
Painted in 2016, this work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Srisasanti Syndicate.
Estimate
HK$150,000 - 250,000
€18,700-31,100
$19,200-32,100
Sold for HK$252,000
Danielle So
Specialist, Head of Day Sale
+852 2318 2027
danielleso@phillips.com
20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Day Sale in association with Yongle
Hong Kong Auction 30 November 2022
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