Mohamed Abdul Kadir (1936–2010), popularly known as S. Mohdir, was a Singapore pioneer artist. He was proficient in various mediums such as acrylic, oil, watercolour, batik and copper, and across genres. His ouevre was wide: from still life, landscapes, figuration, and abstract expressions, to historical narratives, social commentaries, and politically suggestive works in response to local events. Starting painting at a young age, he exhibited his first work at the age of 12 at the Pameran Minggu Pelajar (Weekend Students Exhibition) at Kota Raja Malay School. He pursued further studies at the Famous Artists School in Connecticut, United States, majoring in art, design and advertising, from 1953-56. After graduation, he returned to Singapore and became a schoolteacher in 1960. He also attended part-time classes at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in the 1960s. He played a significant role in the establishment of Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD) or Association of Artists of Various Resources in 1962, alongside fellow artists such as Abdul Ghani Hamid, Marhaban Kasman and Hamidah Suheimi, and became its second President. He had four solo shows and exhibited in more than 100 art exhibutions in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Holland. His works can be found in private and public collections, including National Gallery Singapore and Balai Seni Negara Malaysia. He was an accomplished illustrator for various books, a dedicated teacher to many younger artists, and the creative designer behind the logo of several Malay-Muslim organisations. He received the Pingat APAD (APAD Prize) in 1974, the Special Award at the National Day Art Exhibition in 1976, and Pingat Bakti Setia (Long Service Medal) on National Day in 1996.
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Born in 1936 in Terengganu, Malaysia, S. Mohdir was three months old when his family moved to Singapore. Growing up in Kampung Pak Buyong, near Kampung Wak Tanjong, he started painting at the age of four, learning to draw by studying Chinese comics. He briefly attended Kota Raja Malay School as his primary school education was disrupted by the Japanese Occupation. He exhibited his first work at the age of 12 at the Pameran Minggu Pelajar (Weekend Students Exhibition) at Kota Raja Malay School.
Under a four-year scholarship by the Singapore Tiger Standard (where he worked as a trainee artist), a newspaper company also known as The Standard, he went overseas to pursue his art and design studies at the Famous Artists School in Connecticut, United States from 1953 to 1956. Upon graduating, he returned to Singapore and was promoted to head artist at The Standard. The company's closure led him to become a schoolteacher in 1960. He taught at various schools including Kota Raja Malay School and Haig Boys School. While his teaching career lasted 36 years, his art practice developed and fluorished.
One of his earliest art teachers was Abdullah Ariff (1904–1960), a Malaysian artist and art instructor from Pulau Pinang. He was also trained by Singapore pioneer artist and senior educator Sulaiman Suhaimi (1922–2008), and Malaysian art dealer and artist Yusof Abdullah (1928–2006). Though he was a much sought-after batik painting instructor to many schools in Singapore, S. Mohdir was undoubtedly a highly versatile artist. Working on oil, acrylic, watercolour, batik, and even copper, his oeuvre spanned the genres of landscape, still life, figurative, and abstract expressions, to literature-inspired narratives, social commentaries, and works in response to the politics of the day.
S. Mohdir was one of the co-founders of Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD) or Association of Artists of Various Resources when it was formed in 1962. He became its first Honorary Secretary and later served as its President from 1984 to 1991. A prolific artist, he participated in more than 100 exhibitions in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Holland. These include: Singapore Art Society’s Annual Exhibition (1960-61), National Day Art Exhibition (1970s-80s), Malaysia Art Exposition, Kuala Lumpur (1963), Contemporary Art in Asia in 14 Asian cities (1964), and Art from Singapore at Westfries Museum, Holland (1993).
He had four solo shows in 1972, 1976, 2001 and 2005. His first, organised by APAD, and held at the Malay Art Gallery at North Bridge Road in 1972, showed works using diverse mediums from batik to oil and watercolour, as well as copper works and sketches. His paintings reflected his love for nature and the surroundings, and inspirations from his trips to East Malaysia, while his abstract pieces imbued distinctive features of figurative elements and colour. His second solo show, also organised by APAD, was held at the Chinese Chambers of Commerce in 1976. Officiated by Sidek Saniff, President of the Kesatuan Guru-Guru Melayu Singapura (KGMS) or Singapore Malay Teachers' Union, and Member of Parliament, the exhibition featured his works in oil, acrylic, copper and batik, highlighting his strength in colour and form, and reflected his keen interest, and deeper investigation, in nature and the environment.
APAD also organised his third solo show at the Singapore Calligraphy Centre in 2001. Entitled Forward (Hadapan), it was also graced by Sidek Saniff, then Senior Minister of State for the Ministry for the Environment, and showcased 40 artworks in acrylic, oil, watercolour and batik. His fourth and last solo exhibition, also titled Hadapan (Forward), was managed by, and held at Gallerie Dua Lapan at Bussorah Street in 2005. Officiated by Yatiman Yusof, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts, it displayed 38 paintings in acrylic, oil and watercolour, as well as drawings in pen and ink, created in the same year and a few years earlier.
His works can be found in private and public collections, including National Gallery Singapore and Balai Seni Negara Malaysia.
S. Mohdir's contribution as a Singapore pioneer artist was achnowledged in APAD's Our Pioneer Artists exhibition in 2013. As one of the art teachers of classes conducted by APAD, he taught and mentored many younger artists, including Idris Mohamed Ali, the inaugural recipient of Hadiah Warisan (Heritage Prize) in 2021. S. Mohdir received the Pingat APAD (APAD Award) in 1974, together with M. Sawoot, Aman Ahmad, Georgette Chen, and Ng Eng Teng. He was also a recipient of the Special Award at the National Day Art Exhibition in 1976, and Pingat Bakti Setia (Long Service Medal) on National Day in 1996. He passed away in 2010.
