John Berger's 1952 Review of Affandi Exhibition at London's Army and Navy Stores

In a review published on May 31, 1952, in Art News and Review, Volume IV, Number 9, art critic John Berger praised Indonesian artist Affandi's exhibition at London's Army and Navy Stores, deeming it the most important contemporary display since Picasso's 1945 showcase. Affandi, a self-taught painter born in Java in 1910, portrayed evolving Asian cultural perspectives through roughly fifty unstretched canvases on rough fabric, featuring landscapes, portraits, and everyday scenes. While some of the works seemed chaotic, Berger argued this was essential, highlighting Affandi's emphasis on engagement and the continuity of life, which he linked to the artist's experiences during Indonesia's fight against Japanese occupation and the struggle for independence from Dutch rule. The exhibition was scheduled to move to the Imperial Institute from June 9 to 14, 1952.