LOT 67
NIK RAFIN
B. Selangor, 1974
Ballerinas – Brown Series, 2016
Signed and dated “Rafin 416” on lower right
Acrylic on canvas
122 x 183 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
SOLD
RM 5,636.00
In his earlier works such as the Mindscape Series, Nik Rafin explored the relationship between colours and shapes. Those works were mainly abstract, but this time he incorporates both abstract and definitive subject matter – ballet dancers. Brown and orange lines weave and circle around these dancers, placing them aesthetically as their silhouettes are projected to be the center of attention.
Nik Rafin’s ever-present details, lines and shapes provide an invigorating atmosphere for these dancers, as they perform the allongé, allegro and attitude of the ballet gracefully. This piece is a flawless showcase of Nik Rafin’s flair for details, design and illustrations – as not even the computer screen or sophisticated design software will outmaneuver looking at a real piece of art face-to-face, such as this one.
Nik Rafin studied Advanced Photography in the USA and pursued a Minor in Fine Arts at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. He was an illustrator for Milwaukee’s newspaper, The Marquette Tribune, before Walt Disney offered him a seven-year contract to work as a graphic designer and illustrator. However, he turned it down after his father insisted he return home and contribute to Malaysia instead. Nik captures his subjects through his camera lenses first before reinterpreting and reinventing them onto canvas.