LOT 87
KHALIL IBRAHIM
B. Kelantan, 1934 – 2018
Abstract, 1999
Oil on canvas
106 x 94 cm
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
Signed and dated “Khalil Ibrahim 99” on lower right
RM 75,000 – 110,000
Offered here is an outstanding and rare work by one of Malaysia’s most iconic and versatile artists, Khalil Ibrahim (1934 to 2018), a true titan in the realm of modern and contemporary Southeast Asian art.A graduate of the prestigious St Martins School of Art, London, Khalil was the first Malaysian artist to be admitted into this avant garde institution. It was during his formative years in London that his artistic sensibilities were shaped by the powerful and emotionally charged works of Francis Bacon, an influence that found compelling expression in his early abstract paintings of the 1960s. Notably, one such work from that era is part of the permanent collection of the Singapore Art Museum, and numerous other Malaysian institutions and private collections. attesting to the artist’s stature in the region. This particular painting, executed in the 1980s, is a masterclass in abstraction, showcasing Khalil at the height of his creative confidence. Unlike any of his contemporaries, Khalil’s abstraction is unmistakably his own textured, fluid, emotionally resonant, and deeply rooted in his intuitive sense of form and colour. The piece presents a dynamic composition where gestural strokes collide with an ethereal luminosity, offering a visual rhythm that is both meditative and dramatic. Widely regarded as Malaysia’s most versatile artist, Khalil worked across multiple mediums, from oils and acrylics on canvas to ink, watercolour, and even traditional batik. His oeuvre spans across landscapes, figurative portraits, and pure abstraction, constantly evolving yet consistently marked by a unique sensitivity and formal sophistication.