LOT 28
KHALIL IBRAHIM
B. Kelantan, 1934 – 2018
Imaginary East Coast Landscape, 1997
Signed and dated “Khalil Ibrahim, 97” on lower right
Oil on canvas
60 x 73 cm
Private Collection Kuala Lumpur
RM 35,000 – 70,000
Khalil Ibrahim was a master storyteller and through allegory, he told the tale of his origins, the Malaysian East Coast and landscapes that fuelled his passion. Khalil’s landscape works were undoubtedly his forte and beloved by his collectors. This is owed to his attention to extraordinary detail, artistry and sheer passion. Khalil began painting landscapes during the time when landscape painting in Malaysia was at its apex, before pursuing art studies at the prestigious St. Martin’s School of Art in London. Together with artists Yusoff Sulaiman and the late Nik Zainal Abidin, he learnt the fundamentals of painting from Nik Mahmud Idris, a Malay school inspector who returned to Kelantan after an art education spell in Singapore. The revolving theme in this class was the pastoral setting of kampungs and it was through this experience that Khalil enhanced his ability of capturing nature in all its glory. Evident in ‘Imaginary East Coast Landscape, 1997’, he possessed the ability to transform an unassuming scene to a brilliant one where he played with colours and showcased his established precision.