LOT 14
RAPHAEL SCOTT AHBENG
B. Sarawak, 1939 – 2019
Jembawang Lama, 2012 & Subdued Light, 2012
Acrylic on canvas
22 x 30 cm (set of 2 artworks)
Signed and dated “RSA’12” and titled “Jembawang Lama” on lower right
Signed and dated “ RSA ‘12” and titled “Subdued Light” on lower right
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 5,000 – 9,000
Jembawang Lama – It is known to whoever is familiar with Raphael Scott AhBeng’s works that his interpretation of nature and beauty is differentfrom the rest of his contemporaries.
They have been modified into something that is purely AhBeng’s style, both atypical and bizarre. These modifications, his reinterpretations are notunwelcome. In fact, they appeal to the eyes and the emotions.
In Jembawang Lama, Raphael Scott Ahbeng revisits the landscape through a richly expressive and deeply personal visual language. Broad,vigorous brushstrokes transform the terrain into a tapestry of earthy greens, ochres and fiery oranges, evoking the warmth and untamed character of disappearing rural landscapes. Rather than a literal depiction, the scene is filtered through memory and emotion, with the dramatic orange skylending the work a nostalgic, almost dreamlike atmosphere.
Subdued Light – Although the title of this piece is “Subdued Light”, the beauty and the artistic skill of the artist is anything but that, as seen in this piece. Perhaps it is subdued in his selection of colours, as it is limited, the opposite of his usual works that employ almost every colour available.Another way AhBeng’s works charm the viewer is through the subtle, meandering way it catches the eye. It does not give off an immediate reply to a question, but it beckons the viewer to come and dissect the hidden meaning and blend of colours.
Raphael Scott AhBeng, a Bidayuh, hails from Sarawak and is one of the most prominent Borneo artists. He attended Bath Academy of Art in Britain, where he studied Art and Photography. He won the First Prize for the Sarawak Shell Open art competition in 1959, 1982 and 1983 and Third Prize in the Natural Malaysia art competition in Kuala Lumpur in 1991.