Lot 81: YUNIZAR

YUNIZAR B. 1971 TENTANG POHON (THE TREE'S STORY) Quantity: 1 SIGNED LOWER LEFT; DATED 2010 LOWER RIGHT; SIGNED, TITLED TENTANG POHON AND DATED 2009 ON THE REVERSE ACRYLIC ON CANVAS 300 by 200 cm.; 118 by 78 3/4 in.

The world that Yunizar dreams about and hopes for is a beautiful one. Through his eyes, the viewer observes a magnificent tall tree that dominates the picture plane with its powerful trunk and lush foliage over an interwoven lace of animals in all shapes and sizes. In his article, "In the House of Yunizar" (2010), Tony Godfrey wrote:

"[The tree] can represent community and nature simultaneously... Again the floor below the tree is filled, animated with endless creatures. This is not a case of horror vacui or a compulsive desire to fill in: it is about the richness of life. On the one hand it is very contemporary: he represents the world as flux where everything is in constant motion, where things are not composed with a stable, static foreground, middle ground and backgrounds: he is happy with this world of constant movement and activity. On the other hand it could be seen as consistent with the richness of overall pattern and decoration in Mughal miniatures or Mille Fleurs tapestries."

The superbly rich and textured imagery of The Tree's Story evokes both the innocence of children and the strength and wisdom of wise men. Yunizar, like his other Jendela group members, come from Talawi, Sumatra, where children grow up in tune with mother nature and the wisdom she teaches. In an age where the green movement is more relevant than ever, Yunizar's works is more than an expression of hope. It is a determination to believe that goodness exists not only in the heart but that it will manifest itself in the real world if enough people believe. To learn from experience is a necessity, but it is also essential to learn from the purity and faith of children who dare to dream.