LOT 16
KHALIL IBRAHIM
(B. Kelantan, 1934)
Portrait of a Balinese Girl, 1970
Signed “Khalil Ibrahim 70” on lower right
Batik
55 x 46 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
SOLD – RM 41,440
This piece is the decisive revelation of Khalil Ibrahim’s assimilation of Expressionism (the exaggeration and distortion of line and colour, a deliberate abandon of Naturalism).
Khalil’s employment of Expressionism brings about a far greater impact – both emotionally and visually – than usual. As seen in this piece, when thought of as a concept, a portrait of a Balinese girl is as simple as most portraits come, but due to Khalil’s Expressionism and abstraction influences in his work, the impact is far greater, making this piece a memorable yet mystifying one. Its mystery is wafting in volumes, the colours hypnotizing as they seem to move and shift ever-so-slightly, brimming with energy.
Khalil Ibrahim graduated from the prestigious St. Martin’s School of Art & Design, United Kingdom in 1964. Thereafter, he became a full-time artist and has been so for fifty years now. He has held solo and group exhibitions in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Switzerland, with most of his works center on figures and are heavily influenced by East Coast fishermen and women.