LOT 33
KHALIL IBRAHIM
B. Kelantan, 1934 – 2018
East Coast Figures – Movement in Red, 1975
Signed and dated “Khalil Ibrahim 75” on lower left
Batik
92 x 80 cm
Provenance Private Collection Singapore
Illustrated in the soon to be published “777, Celebrating 7 Illustrious Years at KLAS” coffee table book published by KLAS in February 2019
RM 60,000 – RM 90,000
As a medium, batik in Malaysia opened itself out in various directions by the mid-twentieth century. While contemporary batik painting in its extended form became not just a continuation of the craft’s classical origins but rather it took a revolutionary step forward as an accepted notion of mark making within Malaysian contemporary art practice. While the late Chuah Thean Teng pioneered this art form in the 1930s, it was only accepted as a medium of artistic expression by the 1960s. Somewhat later, Khalil also forayed into this art medium, depicting the Malay life, primarily that of the fishermen fraternity, through the batik technique – in a more real sense. As can be seen in this work, colour and texture became the primary fascination for Khalil, he remained true to – firstly, the human figure albeit fragmented and secondly his people of the East Coast. ‘East Coast Figures – Movement in Red, 1975’ illustrates a gradient of vibrant red to a duskier tone. Khalil went on to display the stances of fishermen and their muscular form while tending to their fishing nets in a rhythmic manner.