LOT 14
LEE LONG LOOI
(B. Kedah, 1942)
By the Paddy Field, Undated
Signed and dated “Long Looi Lee” on lower right
Batik
49 x 22 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Canada
SOLD – RM 4,484
This oil on canvas masterpiece illustrates two women sharing a quiet and tranquil moment of walking whilst carrying paddy after a whole day’s work.
Done in Lee Long Looi’s usual style of elongating the features of the women, they are caught in a tender moment between friends. Imaginative detailings were painted in the background, from the mist-like shadow to the intricate batik patterns whereupon the women are walking across exhibits how Lee Long Looi creatively brings a mundane scene in life to a whole new level by blending vibrant and fresh colours, making it a visual treat altogether. All the colours, shapes and use of space work harmoniously together, unified and pleasing to the eye. The artwork is the epitome of simplicity at its best.
Born in 1942 in Kedah, Malaysia, Lee Long Looi graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and moved to New York to further his studies at the Art Students League and thsen at the Pratt Institute. He combines both elements of his Asian heritage and Western techniques in his paintings, and his works are displayed in Citibank, ABC Television, the Gulf Bank of Miami and many more.