LOT 79
Ismail Mat Hussin
B. Kelantan, 1938 – 2015
Study of Mother and Child I, 1971
Mixed media on paper
24.5 x 20.2 cm
Study of Mother and Child II, 1971
Signed and dated “ISMAIL MAT HUSSIN 1971” on lower right
Mixed media on paper
10.4 x 7.7 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
Illustrated on page 52 of “SPIRIT OF THE EAST COASTby Ismail Mat Hussin” exhibition catalogue
Published in 2011 by KL Lifestyle Art Space
RM 500 – RM 1,000
Life drawing or drawing from the figure has sadly been dismissed for the last 30 years or so as ‘old hat’, mainly by those who find it difficult to do and rely on words rather than image to convey ideas. For any visual artist drawing from and understanding the figure is fundamental as a practice, to train the eye to see accurately and observe emotion and gesture, and Ismail Mat Hussin understood that.
Sketching is a type of drawing that is done completely freehand. It is often a technique used to create initial representations of final drawings or designs. In some cases, however, artists will create final pieces, just by sketching – as seen with Ismail Mat Hussin. Here the audience gets a glimpse into the legendary artist’s first outlines before creating a masterpiece. Often, a sketch can tell so much about an artist’s vision and it is a privilege to be able to own one of the rawest pieces by Ismail Mat Hussin.
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.