LOT 11
A.B. IBRAHIM
B. Kedah, 1925 – 1977
Paddy Field, 1960’s & Junk, 1960’s
Watercolour on paper
27 x 38 cm (set of 2 artworks)
Private Collection, Canada
Signed “A.B.Ibrahim” on lower right
RM 2,500 – 5,000
Born in Kedah in 1925, A.B. Ibrahim was a pioneering, largely self taught master of Malaysian watercolour painting who became a founding member of the influential Wednesday Art Group, dedicating his career to immortalizing the serene, idyllic essence of the Malayan countryside. His technical brilliance is perfectly captured in his nostalgic 1960s works, Paddy Field and Junk, which exemplify his extraordinary ability to manipulate light, water, and transparency. In Paddy Field, he uses delicate, luminous washes of soft greens and earthy tones to evoke the tranquil, humid atmosphere of Kedah’s rural landscape, celebrating the quiet rhythm of agrarian life. Meanwhile, his Junk scenes showcase a masterclass in maritime atmosphere, using fluid wet-on-wet watercolour strokes to balance the sturdy, detailed form of a traditional sailing vessel against a vast, atmospheric expanse of sea and sky. Together, these pieces stand as poetic, romanticized historical records of a bygone era, defined by Ibrahim’s hallmark romantic lyricism and deep spiritual connection to his homeland.