Maya Gallery is pleased to present Singapura Chantek: 5 Decades of Painting Singapore, a solo exhibition by Idris Ali. A self-taught artist, Idris\' chosen medium has made him stand out from his peers within the Malay community. His watercolour paintings from the 1960s right up to 2013 portray an artist whose dedication is both unquestionable and admirable.
Singapura Chantek which translates to Beautiful Singapore is a reference to the genre of paintings around Southeast Asia that depicts the idyllic landscapes of a particular country. The exhibition will showcase Idris Ali’s 30 paintings in watercolour that capture Singapore’s evolving landscapes from pre-independence years to the new millennium. Idris’ works for the past five decades could be seen as a critique of urbanism in Singapore. More importantly, they serve as visual records of past landscapes, diaries from a long-forgotten drawer in Singapore’s art narrative.
The exhibition is on view from October 23 through November 13, 2013.
| Press Release | eInvitation | Catalogue | View eCatalogue |
An open conversation about Idris Ali\'s "Singapura Chantek” – 5 decades of painting Singapore. What drives an artist to continuously paint our cityscapes in watercolour in a predominantly contemporary art scene? As the illustrator behind various successful ad campaigns in the 80s and 90s, Idris’ versatility is admirable. In today\'s age of creative tools and apps, are basic drawing skills still necessary?
RSVP
+6291 1760 / event@mayagallery.com.sg
| eInvitation |
IDRIS ALI (b. 1944, Singapore), a generally self-taught artist, showed his first works at the Lembaga Tetap Kongress exhibition at Victoria Memorial Hall (1962). He received the Pingat APAD Award (1974) and Cipta Mekar Award for outstanding work at the Action \'90\' Art Exhibition (1990). Idris Ali has exhibited in Singapore and Malaysia. His works can be found in the collections of the Singapore National Museum, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence, several ministers in Singapore and Malaysia, and private individuals. He has also been commissioned for portraits of former president of Singapore Mr Wee Kim Wee and the First Lady.