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Langkawi Series
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Langkawi Series
1977

Latiff’s three most notable forms of creative expression: painting, sculpture and poetry coalesce in his Langkawi series. Inspired by moments of stillness and quiet which he experienced at the seaside, the artist imparts a sense of vastness, depth and tranquillity in the series. The artwork, with its painting resembling a sea-stitched dawn/dusk and 3D protrusion of plywood panels, possesses a poetic character that offers viewers a moment of respite; it encourages them to contemplate and meditate as the artist himself did. While the painting appears minimal, it entailed a meticulous process which demanded careful concentration to create the desired gradience, coloured textures, and symmetry. The overall palette and character of the series is reminiscent of Nusantara (Malay archipelago) imagery as if an ode to tradition.

Details
Medium:
Wood gloss paint on wood
Dimension:
183 x 59 x 10 cm
Date:
1977
Credit Line:
Collection of ILHAM Foundation
Copyright:
© Abdul Latiff Mohidin
About Abdul Latiff Mohidin

Abdul Latiff Mohidin (b. 1941) is a prominent Malaysian modernist artist, writer and poet from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. As a child he was known as “Wonder Boy” and “the magical boy with the gift in his hands” due to his prodigious talent and early artistic acumen. He completed his primary education at Kota Raja Malay School in Singapore where he also had his first exhibition in 1951. From 1960-1964, Latiff studied art at Hochschule fur Bildende Kunste (Academy of Fine Arts) in Berlin, Germany on a scholarship. A journey across Southeast Asia in 1964 would later inspire an array of esteemed artworks and series which melded his European experience with his cultural identity. His series, Pago-Pago (1960-1969), Mindscape (1973, 1974-1983), Langkawi (1976-1980) and Gelombang (1985-1993) are known for their distinctive representation of culture, nature, the environment and mysticism. His masterful technique and use of dynamic brush strokes, textured oil paint and vibrant colours mark his works with an identifiable Latiff flair. He has exhibited worldwide, including solo exhibitions in Berlin, Frankfurt, Bangkok, Singapore, New Delhi, New York, Sydney, Osaka, Montreal, Manila, Jakarta, Dublin and London to name a few. In 2018, he became the first Southeast Asian artist to be featured at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The artist now resides in Penang.

Source: Wikipedia

Further Readings
  • Wong Hoy Cheong and Askander Unglehrt with Sugu Kingham, ‘Langkawi Series’, in Pago Pago to Gelombang: 40 Years of Latiff Mohidin, edited by T.K Sabapathy, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, 1994

  • Zakaria Ali, ‘The What of Wall Sculpture’, in Latiff Mohidin “Langkawi” Arca Dinding, Muzium & Galeri USM, Pulau Pinang, 1979.