Lot 105
Hamidah Suhaimi
b. Singapore, 1935 - d. 2015
Gadis Dengan Labu Air, 1998
signed and dated (lower left)
pastel on paper
72 x 52cm
PROVENANCE
Private collection, Kuala Lumpur
ESTIMATE RM 15,000 – 28,000
|
Hamidah Suhaimi consistently highlighted Malay cultural heritage in her works, mostly in her métier pastels. Her works showed up a combination of her two main themes, figuratives and cultural objects, in this case the famed ebony labu (water pitcher) sayong of Perak, which got its colour from burning discarded rice husks. The woman looks regal despite a simple coiffure. Cradling a large labu sayong, she exudes the sophistication of a collector perhaps. The transparent light tangerine blouse she wore over her dress shows that she is not the typical kampung girl or even a potter. And she obviously looks tall, which adds to her stature.
Hamidah Suhaimi, who was of Syrian stock, was a religious teacher in Singapore. Self-taught, she espoused the portrait tradition, and joined Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya in Singapore under Syed Mahadar, and the Angkatan Pelukis SeMalaysia (APS) in Kuala Lumpur under the guidance of Dato’ Hoessein Enas. She later married Mazli Mat Som, the de facto No. 2 to Dato’ Hoessein and who later helmed APS. Two of her pastels, Kebaya (1970) and Aida (1971), are in the collection of the National Art Gallery Malaysia. She did not have any solo, but her recent-years exhibitions include Aku (Self-Portraits, 1999), Three Contemporaries (2012) and Salut 55 (2014). |
