LOT 59
ISMAIL MAT HUSSIN
B. Kelantan, 1938-2015
Rebat Musicians, 2010
Signed and dated “ISMAIL MAT HUSSIN 2010” on lower right
Batik
67 x 70 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Kelantan
RM 15,000 – RM 20,000
The quiet calm of the colour blue provides a soothing view to whoever gazes upon this batik masterpiece by Ismail Mat Hussin. The musicians are perhaps playing a slow, melodious tune, the mood set by the surrounding milieu.
The artist, known for encapsulating the everyday life of the country people in the East Coast illustrates a group of village men playing traditional instruments, clad in sarong. The simplicity of the scene combined with the heavy detailing that Ismail Mat Hussin features in this piece are definitely something to behold, not only because of how paradoxical the combination may seem, but also because he manages to make something so common and modest be filled with depth and aesthetic value.
Ismail Mat Hussin was born in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. He developed an interest in batik at the mere age 12 years old and picked up his batik skills from well-known artist Khalil Ibrahim and art teacher Yusof Abdullah. His career began as a violinist for Radio Televisyen Malaysia Kota Bharu, but he left and decided to put his all into painting. Ismail’s painting’s can be found in various galleries, a few being PETRONAS, Bank Negara, ESSO, Maybank and the National Art Gallery of Kuala Lumpur.