작품 상세

Jai explored the use of bitumen, a dark and viscous material known for its rich brown tones and transparency. Through the landscape of evocative forms clouded by mists, Jai imbues the fragments with life, presenting a vision of enchanted lands. Natural land formations were extended over the ground in varying shades of brown applied with deft brushwork and layers, creating an impression of movement. Jai has a double Masters in Painting from the Slade School of Fine Art, London (1988) and the Pratt Institute, New York (1994) after his BFA at the Mara ITM in 1985. His first solos were abroad, Malaysia Hall in London (1987), and for drawing, New Gallery in New York (1994), before his home solo at ITM in 1996. Although it was his Lifeform solo at Taksu Kuala Lumpur in 1996 that saw a "repackaged" Jai, he was already making waves when he won the Major Award in the Young Contemporary Artist (BMS) competition in 1985 and followed this up with the Gold Award in the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank art competition in 1991. His other accolades include the 1st Prize in the Murray Hill drawing competition in New York in 1994 and the Rado Switzerland commission in 2005. Jai was awarded the coveted Anugerah Akademik Negara (National Academic Award) for the visual arts category in 2019.