LOT 53
KWAN CHIN
B. Kuala Lumpur, 1946
Fruit Seller Series, 2008
Signed “Kwan Chin” on lower right
Batik
84 x 147 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 8,000 – RM 13,000
Taking batik to an entirely new level yet again with another piece of Kwan Chin’s distinguishably vivid-coloured depictions of Malaysian life, this Fruit Seller piece is a harmonious deluge of lively colours. His theme here is forthright and uncomplicated, no intricacies or hidden messages behind it – it is a very stunningly done piece of batik artwork, pure visual bliss. The only complication in this piece is his technique in executing it, from the laborious tasks of producing batik material from scratch to the detailing of the figures and scenery to the colours painted on them.
Kwan Chin captures the mood of an arguably rowdy scene at the marketplace, and the intensity and boldness of the colours with which he uses on this piece makes it seem very alive and animated.
Born in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur in 1946, Kwan Chin attended the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art in Singapore during which he learned how to use traditional art materials. Shortly thereafter, he delved into the world of advertising but once he was introduced to batik, it instantly changed his career path. His batik pieces are rich in colour and his work is known around the world, having been exhibited in London and Miami