Lot 21 | Auction XXIII

LOT 21

JOLLY KOH
B. Singapore, 1941

The Red Dreaming, 2004

Signed and dated “Jolly Koh 04” on lower left

Acrylic and oil on canvas

179 x 220 cm

Provenance
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur

SOLD
RM 110,465.60

“I believe a painting must be beautiful in order to be able to fulfill its function of uplifting the soul.” – Jolly Koh

True to his word, Jolly Koh creates a dream landscape – a warm, luminous wash of intense blend of red and orange, bright and bold like the sun and soothing to the soul. With a vast amount of space, this piece is stunning in its bareness, the focus being on the wonderful warmth and shades of colour. It is akin to a sunset, those certain few minutes before the sun completely disappears from view, and it is peaceful, quiet and comforting.

His exploration of the relationship between colour and space result in this beautiful masterpiece, with the only disruption of the beautiful colour-space being the strokes and streaks at the bottom. This piece is translucent and breathtaking, as Jolly Koh successfully takes the viewer to another fantasy world with the combined use of oil and acrylic, producing yet again another romantic and lyrical painting.