Global Auction is eager to present its Southeast Asian, Chinese, Modern & Contemporary Art Auction for the month of June. The bidding period is held from 28 May - 12 June 2026, with a preview available in Jakarta, consisting of 166 lots featuring artworks such as paintings and sculptures. The live online auction would take place on Friday, 12 June 2026, at 7:00 PM (UTC +7). 

This auction features the works of many renowned artists such as Affandi, Lee Man Fong, Hendra Gunawan, Srihadi Soedarsono, Emiria Soenassa, and many more. 

Auction Highlights

Beautiful Sea World, 1975 by Hendra Gunawan

Born in Bandung in 1918, Hendra Gunawan began painting in the 1930s and has become one of the most prominent figures in Indonesian modern art. His works are known for their dynamic compositions and vibrant, expressive colors; with many calling him the “people’s painter” as he often portrayed the daily lives of Indonesians as well as the beauty of the country’s landscapes and nature in his artworks. His works remain celebrated worldwide such as at the Venice Biennale 2024.

In his work titled Beautiful Sea World (1975), an underwater scene is shown in a dream-like sense instead of being depicted realistically, blending reality with imagination. It showcases the diversity of marine life, with fishes and corals of various colors, shapes, and sizes. The vivid colors alongside the fishes’ movement through underwater currents creates a composition which seems animated and lively, further highlighting Hendra Gunawan’s mastery in terms of reflecting nature onto art through his own style. 

The Rhythm of Lengong, 1991 by Srihadi Soedarsono

Srihadi Soedarsono, born in 1931, is an Indonesian artist renowned for his abstract landscapes and depictions of Javanese and Balinese dancers. His mastery in color, form, and movement creates works which evokes deep emotion and spirituality. Due to this, he has received numerous prestigious recognitions such as the National Award for Contemporary Art in 1971 and a Fulbright Grant from the United States government in 1980. Aside from painting, he also played a major role in shaping Indonesia’s art education, having taught at Institut Teknologi Bandung and contributed to the development of Institut Kesenian Jakarta. 

Lengong is a classical Balinese dance known for its refined gestures, expressive hand movements, elaborate costumes, and fan choreography performed with graceful precision. In the painting The Rhythm of Lengong (1991), Srihadi Soedarsono depicts the dance through a bright composition, filling the canvas with radiant yellow and white tones which gives warmth and luminosity to the artwork.

The white strokes surrounding the dancer creates a sense of movement, making the painting appear fluid, and their costume which is rendered with rich, intricate details realistically reflects the traditional Balinese attire. Through the usage of vibrant colors, the artwork itself is like a stage illuminated at the height of a performance, brightening the space around it as a result. 

The Refugees by Emiria Soenassa 

Emiria Soenassa was born in Tanawangko, North Sulawesi, in 1985, to the royal family of Tidore. She is often regarded as Indonesia’s first female modern artist as she is someone who introduced a new style to the male-dominated way of painting at the time. She had multiple careers beforehand such as a nurse and a secretary before devoting herself to painting at the age of 40. Her works were first recognized in the late 1930s when she joined PERSAGI (Persatuan Ahli Gambar Indonesia), which is the first nationalist-oriented organization of draftsmen and painters founded by S. Sudjojono and Agus Djaja. From then on, she held her first exhibition in 1940 and multiple after, her works now highly regarded and compared to other renowned artists such as Affandi, Kartono Yudhokusumo, and Basuki Abdullah. 

Her paintings often visualize the people and landscapes of various islands, making diversity and women empowerment her main themes. In her work titled The Refugees, villagers are seen carrying their belongings and moving together in a large group, looking uncertain and the atmosphere tense as they are fleeing or leaving their homes which are seen in flames in the background. Several figures are seen with their own story, one with a child, a farmer with his conical hat, and a horse burdened with goods, all in which is trying to survive during a difficult time. The composition of the artwork itself is dark, with the usage of earthy tones such as red and brown to highlight the intensity of the situation and the suffocating aspect of both the emotions felt and the collapsing or burning environment surrounding them. 

Jukung Boat, 1986 by Affandi

Affandi is regarded as one of the most celebrated maestros of modern Indonesian art within the 20th century. Born in Cirebon in 1907, he was a self-taught artist who is known for his expressive style and emotional approach to painting which includes swirling brushstrokes, direct application of paint, and vivid colors, often compared to those of Van Gogh’s. Throughout his career, he has produced more than 2,000 works and has earned several global recognition such as international prizes, university honors, and having his works exhibited internationally across India, Europe, England, and the United States. 

In his painting titled Jukung Boat (1986), he showcases a traditional Balinese fishing boat called jukung, which is rendered in vigorous strokes of red, blue, yellow, and white, contrasting the dark surrounding and complimenting the warm tones of the sky and ocean waters. The painting portrays a beach in Bali named Kusamba, which is known for its black sands, salt production, and ports, which is why the work mostly portrays swirling layers of black, brown, and grey. Throughout the beach, several figures such as fishermen, dogs, and additional boats are seen to give life to the painting, animating the composition. By using his distinct style where colors and objects are blended together through swirling strokes, Affandi was able to capture the energy, movement, and rhythm of coastal life instead of depicting it realistically. 

Portrait of an Indonesian Girl, 1946 by Lee Man Fong

Originally from Guangzhou, China, Lee Man Fong, born in 1913, spent his early years in Singapore before moving to Jakarta in the 1930s where he served as a palace artist for the President Sukarno for five years and became the first non-Dutch artist to exhibit with the Dutch East Indies Association in 1936. His works are known for its combination of the East and West due to his upbringing and studies in the Netherlands, where traditional Chinese brushstrokes meet the Western oil painting techniques. 

One of his works titled Portrait of an Indonesian Girl (1946) focuses on the figure of a topless woman, her body painted with multiple detailed strokes as her expression drifts onto something on the side. Her head is wrapped in a scarf with hints of red, yellow, and blue, which adds color to the dominantly earthy-tone composition of the artwork. The background is simple, painted in beige while the areas near her face are white, making the focus instantly directed to her head and gives her a luminous affect. Parts of her face such as her lips, cheeks, nose, and ears are tinted with red which brings more life and youth onto the painting. 

Explore More Artworks

Calabash by Chen Wen Hsi

Eastern Goddess of Happiness, 1996 by Gregorius Sidharta Soegijo

Deep Sea Fish, 1999 by Widayat 

Preparing Before Performance, 2025 by Sunaryo 

Optical Composition, 1974 by But Muchtar

Three Directions, 2019 by Teguh Ostenrik

Boats, 1959 by Ries Mulder

In a Balinese Village, 2004 by Arie Smit

Borobudur I, 2023 by I Nyoman Nuarta 

Rabbiv in Wonderland Coma Black, ed. 17/100 by Arkiv Vilmansa

Auction Details  

Bidding Period: 28 May - 12 June 2026 | https://bid.global.auction 

Preview Exhibition: 28 May - 12 June 2026 | 9 AM–5 PM daily  

• Jakarta Office: Jl. Tanah Abang IV No. 23–35
• Singapore Office: 1 Kaki Bukit Rd 1, #02-16 
   

Online Live Auction: Friday, 12 June 2026 | 7 PM (UTC +7) 

Access the full catalogue at www.global.auction

For more information, please contact us at [email protected]