LOT 17
RAPHAEL SCOTT AHBENG
B. Sarawak, 1939
Kuching City, 2014
Signed, dated and titled “RSA 14, KUCHING CITY” on lower right
Oil on board
30.5 x 30.5 cm
Romi, 2014
Signed, dated and titled “RSA 14, ROMI” on lower right
Acrylic on board
30 x 30 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
Raphael Scott Ahbeng has a particularly strong, individualist persona. He is mostly recognised for his energetic depictions of the Sarawakian rainforests and his bizarre interpretation of nature, making him distinct from his contemporaries. His abstract perspective of nature is not only robust, but also unusual and odd to those who are used to naturalistic ways of painting them. The canvas is decorated through heavy, forceful movements of the brush, creating an impactful piece that cannot be overlooked. It is loud; it is vigorous and filled with artistic value. His visual renditions of the nature of Kuching City and nature have once again pulled us into his whimsical world.