Art at its best

Creative thought: Kamal (left) and Azizan looking at an art piece at the newly launched Henry Butcher Art Auction 2012.


Henry Butcher Art Auction 2012 is set to offer a unique selection of 86 exceptional works by established Malaysian artists on May 6. The auction, going into its third year, will be held at the White Box, MAP@Publika in Kuala Lumpur.

It will include reknowned names such as Latiff Mohidin, Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal, Datuk Chuah Thean Teng, Datuk Mohd Hoessein Enas, Yusof Ghani, Lim Kai Hai, Chia Yu Chian, Chang Fee Ming and Ahmad Zakii Anwar. There is also a list of never-before featured artists such as Datuk Tay Hooi Keat, Patrick Ng, Raphael Scott Ahbeng, Kok Yew Puah, Eng Tay, Ivan Lam and Yau Bee Ling. Photography and sculpture will also make their debut in the art auction with works by Ismail Hashim and Umibaizurah Mahir, while for the first time, the auction will feature a Chinese ink section.

The main attraction at the exhibition is a 1984 piece by Datuk Ibrahim Hussein — Red, Orange and Core, which is a pictorial masterpiece that represents the artist at his best. Bidding for the piece, measuring 1.9m high and 2.7m wide, will start at RM800,000 and is expected to break world auction records for the artist, as well as for any Malaysian work of art to-date at the auction. A smaller piece by Ibrahim that is also expected to attract intense bidding is a 1979 acrylic on canvas titled Monorobos 1, which will start at RM150,000. 

This lot, which is presented in a unique horizontal format spanning five-feet, is a superlative result of Ibrahim’s earlier abstraction of figure and expressionism of lines that embodies his mastery and innovation in colours, forms and composition balance. Acquired directly from the artist and having remained in the private collection for more than 30 years, this piece will now resurface on the secondary market. Ibrahim’s highest priced work to-date is The Dream (1969) which fetched RM500,500 at the 2010 Henry Butcher Art Auction. The record was broken last year when Latiff Mohidin’s iconic Pago-Pago Forms (1968) sold for RM572,000. 

A special tribute will also be dedicated to Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal. A unique assembly of four rare and early works on paper, along with a painting of a nightscape titled Malam Marang (2001), estimated at between RM120,000 and RM160,000, will be dedicated solely to the National Art Laureate. There will also be a video on the late artist, featuring tribute messages and interviews.

Henry Butcher Malaysia group chairman Tan Sri Kamal Hashim said the company was moving closer to establishing an open and transparent platform for the trading of Malaysian artworks in the existing local market. “There is still much to be done to promote appreciation and collection of Malaysian art. “Besides auctions, we will carry on the effort of organising public art programmes to educate people on Malaysian art and supporting other worthwhile art promotion initiatives,” he said during the launch of Art Auction Malaysia on April 23. Also present were Tourism Malaysia acting director-general Datuk Azizan Noordin, Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers directors Vincent Sim and Long Tian Chek and Henry Butcher Malaysia director Lim Eng Chong. 

The viewing of the works is open to the public from now till May 5 at White Box, MAP@Publika in Solaris Dutamas. It is open from 11am to 7pm. Admission is free. Registration of bidders will start at 11am on May 6 and the auction begins at 1pm. For enquiries or to register as a bidder, call 012-2275325 or 016-2980852 or email leoni@hbart.com.my or visit www.hbart.com.my
-thestar online.