Lot 87 | 14 June 2025

 

 

LOT 87

SYED AHMAD JAMAL, DATUK

B. Johor, 1929 – 2011

KMJSN, 2009

Acrylic on canvas

91 x 122 cm

Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur

Signed and dated on lower right

Provenance & Exhibition History:
This work is illustrated on pages 103 and 104 of The Guru of Colours, published in conjunction with the exhibition The Guru of Colours: Syed Ahmad Jamal, held at the Zagreb Museum of Arts and Crafts from 3 to 29 June 2014. The exhibition was organized under the patronage of the Malaysian Embassy, in collaboration with Bank Negara Malaysia, the National Gallery Malaysia, Petronas, and the City of Zagreb.

Literature:
The Guru of Colours, exhibition catalogue, Zagreb Museum of Arts and Crafts, 2014, pp. 103–104.

RM 280,000 – 380,000

Syed Ahmad Jamal was one of Malaysia’s most influential modern artists and art educators. He is widely celebrated for his contributions to the development of modern art in Malaysia and was officially recognized as a National Art Laureate (Seniman Negara) in 1995.

He served as the Director of the National Art Gallery (Balai Seni Negara) from 1983 to 1991, where he played a pivotal role in shaping modern and abstract art in Malaysia and advocated for stronger public support for Malaysian art and artists.

Syed Ahmad Jamal’s work blends modern abstraction with traditional Islamic, Malay, and Asian aesthetics. His paintings often explore spiritual themes, architecture, and geometry, using bold colour palettes and expressive forms and KMJSN is a perfect example of this style.