LOT 20
YUSOF GHANI
B. Johor, 1950
Siri Taman, 2011
Signed “Yusof Ghani” on lower right
Mixed media on canvas
120 x 122 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
SOLD
RM 27,052.80
For Johor-born Yusof Ghani, his Taman series reflects his body of work at a point in his life where he spent a lot of time overseas.
He works on various themes that comments on social and environment issues in his art over 30 years as an artist. In his Tari, Topeng, Wayang, Segerak, Biring and Wajah series, he worked on a platform to explore and voice out his concerns on human behaviour where as in Hijau and Ombak, he focused more on issues pertaining to nature and environment. Taman, however, sees his attempt to deviate from his previous themes and instead, to utilise his senses and observation on his experience. The visual landscape becomes the subject matter as opposed to the social commentary (as in Hijau and Ombak). Taman also reflects his strong belief that artists need to travel and explore to enhance their senses and application on arts.
Ghani was born in 1950 in Johor and used to frequent a small movie theater as a young boy, where he developed a predisposition towards painting. He received a scholarship to study art at George Mason University, USA, where he studied Graphic Art and proceeded to pursue his Master’s in Fine Art at Catholic University, Washington. Upon returning to Malaysia, he began lecturing in Universiti MARA Institute of Technology.