Lot 59 | Auction XXXII

LOT 59

LOT 59

YUSOF GHANI

B. Johor, 1950

Siri Tari, 1989

Signed and dated “YG2 Yusof Ghani 89/90” on verso

Mixed media on paper

24 x 38 cm

Provenance

Private Collection, Singapore

Comes with KLAS certificate signed by the artist

SOLD RM 7,056

Yusof Ghani’s renowned and highly coveted series, the Siri Tari portrays the movements and lines of people in subtle yet vibrant hues that is visually appealing. He captures the fluid motions and elegance using dance painting to portray the human behaviour. After Yusof Ghani moved on from his Protest Series, many had assumed that his paintings have undergone a complete makeover, from sinister and edgy to orchestrated and graceful. Yusof Ghani, however, refuted this. This work from the Tari Series did not change course, it still revolved around social remarks. In this series, he uses dance paintings to portray human behaviour and to experiment with lines, movement and colour. “Life is sometimes like dancing – we move about with no purpose but we get lots of pleasure out of it,” said Yusof. Despite how elegant this painting of dancing looks, it was never intended to be graceful. The lines and sketches on this artwork were executed freely and spontaneously in a frenzied and haphazard manner. It is perhaps, the play of colours, that gives this painting that polished, fluid air.