LOT 66
YUSOF GHANI
(B. Johor, 1950)
Protest – Washington Series “Rasuah Kakitangan Kerajaan”, 1984
Signed and dated
“YUSOF GHANI 84 RASUAH KAKITANGAN KERAJAAN”
on lower left
Mixed media on paper
68 x 52 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 12,000 – RM 18,000
The mood here is dark, heavy and serious. It may seem chaotic, but that is exactly what the artist was aiming for – as it is a direct representation and social commentary on humanitarian issues.
After Yusof Ghani completed his Master’s degree, he had his first solo exhibition at the prestigious Anton Gallery in Washington D.C. His Protest series, as seen in this piece, which protested the US intervention in Nicaragua and El Salvador at that time, was well received and even drew rave reviews from Washington Post’s art critic – Jo Ann Lewis.
He had participated in a group protest show against American intervention in Nicaragua with his artworks, and these artworks were catalogued under the Protest series.
After returning to Malaysia, he decided to combine elements from his Protest series with dance, which gave birth to the Tari series.