LOT 62
ABDULLAH ARIFF
B. Penang, 1904 – 1962
Grand Canyon Arizona, 1960
Watercolour on paper
38 x 54 cm
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
Signed “Abdullah Ariff” on lower left. Illustrated on page 184 of “Abdullah Ariff – Father of Modern Art In Malaysia” book published by Balai Seni Lukis Negara in 2006
RM 60,000 – 75,000
Abdullah Ariff was an art teacher at the Anglo-Chinese School in Penang. He, along with fellow artist Yong Mun Sen were the forerunners of watercolour painting in Malaysia. They were also the only two local members of the Penang Impressionists club, an art group whose members were made up of European colonials. In 1947, he worked for the Straits Echo newspapers in Kuala Lumpur as a cartoonist. He held his first few solo exhibitions at the Mint Museum, the Ownbey Hall and the Malayan Embassy in the United States. A road in Air Itam, Penang, is named after him, making him the only artist to ever receive such an accolade. His personal philosophy was, “Art has no obstacles”. Executed with watercolour, this “Grand Canyon, Arizona” composition conveys the vastness and grandeur of the canyon’s rugged terrain, layered rock formations, and dramatic play of light and shadow. This rare work, painted during his travels abroad, reflects both the artist’s adaptability in subject matter and his unerring skill in capturing atmosphere. It stands as a testament to Abdullah Ariff’s place as an artist of international vision while remaining deeply rooted in his Malaysian identity.