작품 상세

This work stems from his early major series, Essence Of Culture (E.O.C.), representing his world view and feelings about Man and Nature. In composing E.O.C. Apung, Awang Damit integrated powerful brushstrokes filled with energy resulting in a rich visual experience. His abstraction is a symbolic language of the lives of farmers and fishermen, uniting all shapes and fragments of patterns arranged in a well-balanced composition. The symbolic forms recreate intangible layers of personal experiences, derived from his thoughts, reflections, and memories, achieving a perfect balance of momentum and beauty. Awang Damit Ahmad is credited to have started one of the most compelling new abstracts related to land, region, purpose and people. A relatively late starter in art at the age of 27, he first studied at the Mara Institute of Technology, where he was Best Student, before getting his Masters at the Catholic University in Washington DC (1989-1990). He catapulted into top-artist status when he not only won the 1st Prize but also the Consolation Prize in the hugely coveted Salon Malaysia III at the National Art Gallery. It was for his Nyanyian Petani Gunung (now in the Petronas collection). He also won 2nd Prize in the Malaysian Bank Association art competition in 1988. His international exhibitions include the Contemporary Paintings of Malaysia at the Asia-Pacific Museum in Pasadena, Los Angeles, in 1988. He also excelled as lecturer at Universiti ITM until May 2011, when he retired to go full time into Art. Prices of his artworks often soar high in auction houses locally and abroad. In Henry Butcher March 2021 art auction, his Apa Khabar Ledang (from the same E.O.C. series) was sold for RM 224,000. His recent solo exhibitions include Garismega New Journey, Art Stage Singapore 2017; Special Tribute: Awang Damit Ahmad, Art Expo Malaysia 2017; From Payarama to Garismega (organised by Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers and Galeri Prima), Galeri Prima, 2021. The exhibition received great responses.