Wanita Duduk di Kursi

In Wanita Duduk di Kursi (Woman Sitting on a Chair), Mochtar Apin delivers a bold, evocative composition that bridges European modernist traditions with Indonesian sensibilities. Painted in 1957, during a pivotal time in Apin's artistic development, this work reveals the artist's growing engagement with abstraction, expressionism, and the search for a universal language in visual art.

The figure—a nude woman rendered in a striking green hue—sits in a vibrant red chair with exaggerated, flowing contours. Her posture is casual yet introspective, one hand behind her head, the other resting gently. The bold colour palette immediately draws the eye: the green of her skin against the saturated red of the chair creates a deliberate chromatic tension, heightening the psychological intensity of the composition. Apin's use of green for the female body is not meant to reflect naturalism but instead signifies emotional and symbolic undertones—perhaps alienation, introspection, or inner disquiet.

The background is relatively dark and minimal, punctuated by what appears to be a stylized textile or tapestry pattern to the left, a nod to Indonesian motifs or perhaps a memory of cultural identity. Yet, this detail does not anchor the figure in any specific locale. Instead, the painting floats in a liminal space, echoing Apin's broader artistic quest: to reconcile his European education (notably in France and the Netherlands) with his Indonesian roots.

There is a notable dialogue in this work with the modernist canon—Matisse’s decorative interiors and expressionist use of colour come to mind—but Apin brings a unique psychological depth. The woman’s detached gaze, her ambiguous emotional state, and the organic curves of the chair lend the piece a surreal, almost dreamlike quality.

Ultimately, Wanita Duduk di Kursi is both a formal exploration and an emotional inquiry. It speaks to Apin's pursuit of modernism not as a borrowed aesthetic, but as a transformative language through which to articulate identity, emotion, and universality.