Saraochim Salim

1908 – 2008

Born in Medan, North Sumatra, on 3 September 1908, Salim moved to the Netherlands in 1919 and later to Paris in 1928, where he studied under Fernand Léger and at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. A contemporary of Affandi, he became known for his distinctive style combining Cubism and Abstract Expressionism.

After World War II, Salim lived in Sète, France, where he held his first exhibition. In 1949, he presented a solo show in Amsterdam that coincided with the Indonesian delegation’s visit for the Round Table Conference and received wide acclaim. He later held exhibitions in Jakarta, Bandung, and Bali, as well as in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Japan. His life and work are documented in Pelukis Salim (1983) and Salim: Pelukis Indonesia di Paris (2003). Salim lived and painted in Paris until his passing on 13 October 2008.