This December, in a fitting year-end spotlight, Jakarta and Singapore once again become the center of the region’s art calendar as Global Auction launches its Southeast Asian, Chinese, Modern & Contemporary Art Auction, running from 19 November to 3 December 2025. 

Presenting 190 standout works, the sale features an exceptional array of paintings, sculptures, watches, and luxury handbags, with highlights from maestros such as Affandi, Hendra Gunawan, Srihadi Soedarsono, Ahmad Sadali, I Nyoman Masriadi, and many more.

The series will culminate in a live online auction on Wednesday, 3 December 2025, at 7 PM (UTC+7).

Auction Highlights

Barong and Rangda, 1968 by Affandi

Affandi returns to our auction with two remarkable works, including Barong and Rangda (1968), a vivid interpretation of the eternal clash between good and evil in Balinese mythology. One of Indonesia’s most influential modern artists, Affandi broke away from academic realism to pursue a raw, instinctive style, applying paint directly from the tube to create his iconic swirling strokes. 

In this painting, Barong—protector and symbol of positive energy—emerges on the right as a fiery, forceful figure against a dark, heavy backdrop, while Rangda, the fearsome queen of the leak, appears on the left in paler tones and restless lines. A dark creature crouched at the center intensifies the tension, capturing the dramatic balance of power that defines this legendary battle.

Kebyar Dancer, 1990 by Srihadi Soedarsono

Srihadi Soedarsono stands among the most influential figures in Indonesian modern art, recognized for his abstract landscapes and his deeply expressive portrayals of Javanese and Balinese dancers that convey rhythm, emotion, and spiritual contemplation. He received major honors during his career, including the National Award for Contemporary Art in 1971 and the Cultural Award from Australia in 1973, and he helped shape the direction of Indonesian art education through his involvement in establishing Institut Kesenian Jakarta, later serving as Chairman of its Fine Arts Academy in 1974. 

His work titled Kebyar Dancer (1990) is featured in this auction. It presents the intensity of the Balinese Kebyar performance, portraying a dancer in a vibrant orange costume enriched with green, turquoise, and yellow. Set against a pure white background, the composition heightens the dancer’s dynamic movement and creates a powerful visual impression that reflects Srihadi’s ongoing pursuit of spiritual clarity and disciplined expression.

Self Portrait by Hendra Gunawan

Hendra Gunawan, another distinguished maestro in this auction, was a pioneering figure in Indonesian modern art whose work blended traditional themes with modernist expression. Born in Bandung, he produced vibrant, socially engaged paintings that later gained international recognition, including representation at the Venice Biennale 2024 and in major museum collections such as the Neka Art Museum and the Singapore Art Museum. 

His Self Portrait embodies his unmistakable style, portraying himself in bright, eccentric colors with dark sunglasses, layered shapes, and playful forms. Seated above a stylized mask and surrounded by vivid patches of red, green, blue, and yellow, Hendra reveals his personality through bold color, spirited brushwork, and decorative rhythm, transforming the self-portrait into a lively expression of his artistic identity.

Empty Barrel, 2003 by I Nyoman Masriadi

I Nyoman Masriadi, one of Indonesia’s most influential contemporary artists, is known for his bold figurative style that fuses satire, social critique, and pop-culture references into muscular, comic-like compositions. His works are held in major international collections, including the Singapore Art Museum and the National Gallery of Australia. 

In Empty Barrel (2003), Masriadi presents a hypermasculine figure lounging on a beach in a floral swimsuit and white garland, his confident pose set against a striking tropical backdrop. The bright sea and sky contrast with the oversized pink barrel he leans on, while exaggerated anatomy and saturated colors reveal the artist’s signature visual punch. Beneath the scene’s playful tone lies a layered commentary, with the “empty barrel” suggesting the tension between outward strength and inner hollowness and inviting reflection on performative masculinity, consumer culture, and society’s fixation on image and status.

Indonesia 1998 Hunting Wild Boar, ed.5/6, 2022 by Djoko Pekik

Other than paintings, the auction also presents a selection of sculptures, including Djoko Pekik’s Indonesia 1998 Hunting Wild Boar (ed. 5/6). Born in Grobogan in 1937, Pekik studied under Trubus and Hendra Gunawan at ASRI Yogyakarta and, despite a career interrupted by his association with LEKRA, re-emerged in the 1980s to participate in major exhibitions such as Indonesian Culture in the United States (KIAS) and the Asian Art Exhibition in Japan. 

Alongside his paintings, he produced sculptures that carried the same powerful social voice. In this work, two men struggle to carry a massive wild boar bound in a large sack, their strained bodies modeled with rough, expressive surfaces. Continuing Pekik’s “Berburu Celeng” idiom, the wild boar becomes a symbol of oppressive authority and corrupt power during the political unrest of the late 1990s, reflecting the artist’s enduring commitment to the stories and hardships of ordinary people.

Hermès:  A Rare Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Birkin 30 with Palladium Hardware 

Beyond fine art, this auction also features a selection of luxury handbags, including the Hermès Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Birkin 30, widely regarded as one of the maison’s most exceptional creations. Introduced in the early 2000s to showcase Hermès’ most advanced dyeing techniques, the Himalaya is crafted from select Niloticus crocodile with clean, even scales and a signature gradient that shifts from warm brown at the edges to luminous white at the center, echoing the tones of the Himalayan landscape. 

Its beauty lies in the harmony of texture, color, and the cool finish of palladium hardware, resulting in a piece defined not by dramatic contrast but by purity, subtlety, and precision. Highly coveted for both its rarity and its calm, understated elegance, the Himalaya Birkin remains one of the most sought-after models in Hermès history.

More to Explore

Auction Details

Bidding Period: 19 November – 3 December 2025 | https://bid.global.auction
Preview Exhibition: 19 November – 3 December 2025 | 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: Wednesday, 3 December 2025 | 7 PM (UTC+7)
Access the full catalogue at www.global.auction or contact [email protected] for more information.