Jono Sugiartono — Traces of Civilization: From Sundanese Roots to Global Networks — 2025 ARTWORK DETAILS Artist: Jono Sugiartono Title: Traces of Civilization: From Sundanese Roots to Global Networks Series: The Presence 1 Year: 2025 Country of origin: Indonesia Technique: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 90 × 90 cm Edition: Unique original artwork — 1/1 Framed: No Condition: Excellent — preserved in the artist’s studio, never restored Signature: Hand-signed by the artist on the front and reverse Certificate of authenticity: Included Provenance: Directly from Jono Sugiartono’s studio through Abstract Art Gallery, Riga Gallery inventory number: AAG · JS · TC · 2025 · 001 THE ARTWORK Traces of Civilization: From Sundanese Roots to Global Networks is a major original painting by Indonesian master Jono Sugiartono. It presents humanity as a living bridge between ancestral memory and the expanding networks of the contemporary world. At the centre of the composition, an enigmatic human presence emerges from layers of earth, shadow and light. The figure appears simultaneously ancient and timeless: a guardian of memory, a witness to history and an embodiment of humanity moving through successive generations. Deep browns, ochres and mineral golds anchor the lower part of the painting in the earth and in the foundations of civilisation. They evoke ancient territories, forests, mountains, archaeological traces and the collective memory of communities that learned to live according to the rhythms of nature. Above the figure, luminous white, blue and turquoise lines spread across the canvas like roots, branches, neural pathways and constellations. They may also be read as the global networks through which knowledge, ideas and human experiences now circulate. Flecks of white, gold and colour create an almost cosmic atmosphere, suggesting that civilisation is not a fixed monument but an expanding and interconnected living organism. The left side carries cooler, aquatic and celestial tones, while the right side develops into burgundy, black and incandescent accents. This carefully controlled opposition between cool and warm colours creates a visual passage between origins and transformation, silence and energy, the ancestral world and contemporary progress. The work is rooted in the ancient Sundanese philosophy of Silih Asah, Silih Asih, Silih Asuh: to enlighten one another, to love one another and to care for one another. For Jono Sugiartono, cultural inheritance is not something confined to the past. It remains alive when it is taught, protected and passed from one generation to the next. There is therefore no rupture between tradition and modernity in this composition. The ancient foundation remains powerful while knowledge branches outward. Technology and worldwide communication become new extensions of humanity’s oldest desire: to learn, create, connect and transmit. Every gesture has been executed entirely by hand. The superimposed veils, spontaneous lines, subtle transparencies and controlled projections produce a surface that cannot be reproduced identically. The painting changes according to the distance and light: from afar, the central presence dominates; at close range, the viewer discovers a complex field of marks, textures and accumulated memories. ABOUT THE ARTIST Jono Sugiartono was born on 24 July 1968 in Ciamis, West Java, Indonesia. He belongs to an accomplished generation of Indonesian artists whose careers were built through decades of studio practice, cultural research, teaching and direct transmission. A graduate of the Bandung Fine Arts Teachers’ College in 1994, he combines the authority of an experienced painter with the vocation of a teacher and mentor. He is recognised within his artistic community as a master who does not keep his knowledge for himself: he advises, supports and accompanies younger artists, helping them develop their own language and transmit Indonesian artistic heritage to future generations. As founder and director of Galeri Nusantara Jakarta from 1995 to 2015, Jono created an important meeting and development space for Indonesian artists. Through this work and his wider artistic community, he has supported and guided more than sixty artists, sharing professional experience, technical knowledge and a deep sense of cultural responsibility. This dimension is essential to understanding his work. Jono Sugiartono is not simply a painter producing individual objects; he is a guardian and transmitter of knowledge. His paintings function as living archives in which ancient Sundanese philosophy, natural materials, human memory and contemporary consciousness meet. His visual language has been developed over more than thirty years. It draws on the cultural heritage of West Java and on the Batik Mega Mendung tradition of Cirebon, a historic cloud motif born from centuries of Sundanese and Chinese cultural exchange. In his contemporary compositions, this inheritance is transformed into luminous lines, organic structures and expanding networks. Jono represents the elite of an experienced generation of Indonesian artists: technically accomplished, intellectually independent and deeply committed to transmission. His mastery lies not only in the complexity of his surfaces, but in his rare ability to unite history, philosophy, nature and the contemporary world within a single composition. CAREER AND RECOGNITION — Graduate of Bandung Fine Arts Teachers’ College, 1994 — Founder and Director of Galeri Nusantara Jakarta, 1995–2015 — More than thirty years of continuous artistic practice — Six solo exhibitions, including presentations in Jakarta, Bandung and Malaysia — More than sixty group exhibitions in Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar — Top 10 Finalist, UOB Painting of the Year 2023 — Aeternum Gold distinction, awarded by international curator Antonio Pedro, Spain — Works represented in institutional and distinguished private collections — Historic auction appearances documented since 2012 — Auction result recorded above estimate by Larasati Auctioneers in 2019 — Internationally presented on Artsy, Artnet, Artsper and Catawiki — Represented internationally by Abstract Art Gallery, Riga His career and commitment have also inspired the documentary title “Maestro yang Tidak Mau Disebut Maestro” — “The Maestro Who Does Not Want to Be Called Maestro.” This phrase captures his character: a highly experienced artist whose authority is expressed through creation, generosity and transmission rather than through personal display. SIGNATURE, AUTHENTICITY AND PROVENANCE The artwork is visibly signed and dated 2025 on the lower-right area of the front. The reverse is also personally signed and inscribed by Jono Sugiartono with the title, technique, year and dimensions. This is a unique original painting, not a print and not a reproduction. The artwork comes directly from the artist’s studio and is presented by Abstract Art Gallery, Riga. A signed certificate of authenticity and the gallery identification documents are included. Provenance: Jono Sugiartono’s studio, Indonesia Abstract Art Gallery, Riga Private collector acquiring the work through Catawiki CONDITION Excellent studio condition. The artwork has never been restored. The visible lines, layered passages, irregular marks and variations in the painted surface are intentional elements of Jono Sugiartono’s artistic language. They form part of the character and authenticity of this unique, entirely handmade work. PRESENTATION The artwork is sold without a decorative frame, allowing the collector to select a presentation suited to the intended interior. Its square 90 × 90 cm format gives it a strong architectural presence while remaining suitable for private collections, contemporary residences, professional spaces, hotels and curated art interiors. CERTIFICATE AND LIFETIME SERVICE The artwork is accompanied by its certificate of authenticity and gallery documentation. Abstract Art Gallery provides lifetime after-sales assistance for the artwork, including conservation guidance, presentation advice and support relating to future maintenance or restoration. PROFESSIONAL PACKAGING AND DHL EXPRESS DELIVERY The painting will be delivered flat and will never be rolled. Particular attention will be given to protecting its painted surface and preserving every line, relief and textural detail. The artwork will be carefully packed using: — Non-stick protective glassine paper over the fully cured painted surface — Soft silk or cotton protective paper — Reinforced XPS rigid panels on the front and reverse — Reinforced protection for the corners and edges — Additional protective layers against pressure, impact and humidity — Strong double-wall external packaging The rigid XPS structure keeps the artwork flat and prevents folding, compression and accidental contact with the textured surface. Shipping will be handled by DHL Express with professional tracking and insurance. The tracking details will be transmitted to the collector immediately after dispatch. A rare opportunity to acquire an important and deeply symbolic work by one of the most distinctive senior masters of contemporary Indonesian painting — an artist, teacher and cultural transmitter whose practice connects ancestral wisdom with the future of human civilisation.