- 257
Angki Purbandono
Description
- Angki Purbandono
- Kapok Savior
- Scanography; Transparency in Neon Box Installation
- 80.5 by 165.5 by 13 cm.; 31 1/2 by 65 by 5 in.
- Executed in 2010, This work is unique for this medium
Condition
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
Art is at its most powerful when it marks the era that we live in. Photography and new art, by the nature of their medium, represents the current generation: ever-changing, ever-growing, continuously accelerating. Urban environments and culture grow with a rapidity that is only rivaled by tec♌hnological advancement and it iꦰs this theme that the present collection of cutting-edge eleven works brings forth. They vary in form and appearance, but the themes they discuss are those most integrated with current contemporary life. They may evoke personal contemplation and evolution - Who are we? How should we live? What is our destiny? – as exemplified by works by Ay Tjoe Christine, Agan Harahap, Yee I-Lann and Neal Oshima. They may question the urban lifestyle, fluctuating between a world that is both real and unreal, such as works by Indra Leonardi, Jason Tablante, Wawi Navarroza and Yason Banal. They may express playfulness and humour, as seen in pieces by Tromarama, Erwin Windu Pranata and Angki Purbandono. Essentially, however, these works ultimately narrate the journey of human existence.
Angki Purbandono's signature style juxtaposes inanimate objects (such as plastic mass-produced toys) with organic ones (such as the kapok), creating at once a still life and a unique landscape. A short, slightly absurd and at times humorous narrative is embedded within these compositions such that the toys appear more animated, active and "alive" than the organic element, allowing for a subtle but real contradiction between the soul and spirit and the corporeal form. These compositions, such as the one found in Kapok Saviour (Lot 257), convey that one can be alive without really living, tha🌺t life and death is not always as easily defined as black and white.
Like the episodes from daily life, these little vignettes speak of hope, fear, desire, relationships, humour, goodness, and the quest for life's meaning. Tracey Emin once said, "There should be something revelatory about art. It should be totally new and creative, and it should open doors for new thoughts and new experiences." These works possess the power of storytelling and their form enables them to do so in the most extraordinary way. They reveal what is hidden, obscure what is shown and feel through aꦅbsence. And as they provoke, inspire, caution and delight, they reveal something about the creator, the viewer, and if t𒈔he timing is right, the life we are living.