LOT 18
YUSOF GHANI
B. Johor, 1950
Topeng Series, 1996
Acrylic on canvas
76 x 61 cm
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
Titled, signed, and dated on verso
RM 14,000 – 22,000
The Topeng series came about when Yusof Ghani paid a visit to Sarawak. It was here that he discovered the ethnic Kayan and Kenyah tribes wore ceremonial masks to cure illnesses, especially during ceremonial rituals. This gave him insight into the spiritual life of the people there, and consequently gave him inspiration for the series. It was said that he began to paint what he saw as the cure to his own state of spiritual illness, having doubted whether his works reflected his true self, or merely an adopted persona. As such, both the paintings and the masks hinted at something: the bolder and the more grotesque the masks, the more powerful they become – and the more they heal. Perhaps, this was a form of the artist dealing with his own personal demons at the time.