Page 98 - Sidharta Auctioneer

Panjat Pinang by Otto Djaya

Lot #466

Along with his brother Agus Djaya, Otto Djaya was sent on a
secret mission to Holland by Sukarno. There, they had their first

duo exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and
various other exhibitions in Europe. He painted various scenes
of folk life, often times with a great sense of humour.

Here, Otto depicts a typical scene at an Indonesian
Independence day celebration. He brings our eyes straight to
the focal point of the painting, a few men participating in
Panjat Pinang, a game traditionally played during the
celebrations. At the top of the pole are prizes for them to win
upon successfully climbing the slippery pole. Celebrations are
usually held in a spacious field enough to fit a whole village. In

this painting, we can see the crowd gathering at the back and
front, predicting the Panjat Pinang winners. In the way that Otto
harmoniously composes the scene, we can almost hear the
traditional melodies accompanying the traditional dancers,
adding life and depth to this painting.

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