LOT 11
RAPHAEL SCOTT AHBENG
B. Sarawak, 1939
Extra Virgin Trees, 2012
Signed, titled and dated “RSA ‘12 EXTRA VIRGIN TREES” on lower middle
Oil on board
45 x 30 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 800 – RM 1,800
Known for his abstract renditions of nature, nature and landscapes are held close to Raphael Scott AhBeng’s heart. He expresses his love for nature and its beauty using stunning colours and designs, both of which a non-conventional and unique. Definitely more imaginative than natural, Raphael Scott AhBeng creates his personal haven. The artist said once, “Painting is a way of expressing my feelings. I like to paint good things that give viewers a good feeling, and make them think and feel rejuvenated.”
Born in Singahi, Bau District, Sarawak in 1939, Raphael Scott AhBeng has been painting for over 60 years. He started at the tender age of 9. He is considered a man of many talents, as he was once a teacher of the Arts and the English language, a cartoonist, a radio producer and so many more but he is first and foremost one of the most renowned abstract artist from Borneo, Malaysia. In 1954, Raphael was awarded with a British Council scholarship to study Art at the Bath Academy of Art in England. During this time he travelled extensively around Europe, passionately studying the works of great European masters. His formal education in art only began in the 1960s, but he had had his first solo exhibition in 1954.
After decades of producing beautiful masterpieces, organizing exhibitions and receiving awards, Raphael truly imbues his spirit and character into his paintings. “There is a war game on my mind when I do a picture that I dream must be a masterpiece,” said the artist.
He is said to have a particularly strong, individualist persona. He has a particular affinity and adoration for landscapes and the lush rainforests that he ground up in. “There is so much to paint in the forest. So many things that many other people may not see,” added Raphael. His paintings are predominantly of Sarawak and they are considered bold, individualistic, vivid and atypical.