작품 상세

The tale of an illicit elopement, or was it kidnap, formed the basis of the Datuk Syed Alwi Syed Hassan-directed play, Lela Mayang, staged in February 1968. Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal was involved in the designing of the set, costume and poster, using a bicameral heart of orange and red to signify discord or opposition. Symbolic green triangles, like arrows, hover inside and outside the heart. Lela Mayang starred Faridah Merican and Rahim Razali in the lead roles, with the music composed by Jimmy Boyle. This is the second time a work from Lela Mayang was featured in the Henry Butcher Art Auction, the first being on April 21, 2013, which sold for RM24,200. Datuk Syed Ahmad was also involved in Syed Alwi's subsequent 1978 play, Desa Ria (Happy Kampung). No stranger to theatre, Datuk Syed Ahmad had been involved in plays in set design as well as acting and directing when he was studying at the Chelsea School of Art. As Seniman Negara, he collaborated with Sasterawan Negara Muhammad Salleh in the book of paint and poetry, Meraih Ruang (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka), in 2004. Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal was multi-pronged as artist-sculptor, administrator, curator, writer-critic, educator and designer. The National Art Gallery awarded him a Retrospective in 1975, and a major Tribute exhibition in 2009. In 1994-1995, the Nanyang Gallery of Art organised his Historical Overview. Until today, he is the only visual artist made National Artist Laureatte (1995), and a year later he got the 'Datuk' title. He had been director of the National Art Gallery and the Asian Cultural Centre. He was also principal of the Specialist Teachers Training Institute in Kuala Lumpur. He had also done decor and costumes for stage plays and was the author of two coffee-table books on art. He studied at the Birmingham School of Architecture, Chelsea School of Art, the London University, the School of the Art Institute Chicago and the University of Hawaii. He had also served in the Arts Council, the Wednesday Art Group, Angkatan Pelukis SeMalaysia and the Malaysian Artists Association. He was also honoured with country awards by the governments of India, the United States, France and Australia.