KUALA LUMPUR, July 9, 2024 – The National Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition titled “Archive Project: Mustapa Hj. Ibrahim” from June 26, 2024, to January 21, 2025, at the Potret Gallery, National Art Gallery. The archive exhibition features a collection of rare items by Mustapa Hj. Ibrahim, which has been registered as part of the nation’s visual art collection. The collection includes black and white and color photographs, poetry manuscripts, silk screen prints, paintings, and two sculptures.
The exhibition aims to raise awareness of “documentation” among young artists, encouraging them to develop their own archives for the benefit of art historical value in the future.
Mustapa Hj. Ibrahim was born in 1946 in Bagan Datuk, Perak, and passed away on March 28, 2024, in Selangor. He was a prominent painter who played a key role in establishing the artist group known as “Anak Alam” in the 1970s. Beyond painting, Mustapa Hj. Ibrahim was also a talented poet, illustrator, theater performer, prop designer, and traditional music player (playing the gendang and bungkau). His spontaneous artistic expressions and narratives deserve documentation in a national visual art publication.
His involvement in art began when he attended painting classes organized by the Malaysian Artists’ Front (Angkatan Pelukis Se-Malaysia, APS) at the Taman Budaya Studio on Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, in the late 1960s. He later dedicated himself to serious painting, influenced by renowned portrait artists like Mohd Hoessein Enas and Mazeli Mat Som.
Mustapa Hj. Ibrahim was an innovative and dedicated artist. His continuous exploration of new approaches in self-expression and art made his work meaningful and impactful. Previously, his art was exhibited at the National Art Gallery in events such as the “Malaysian Landscape Exhibition” in 1972, the “Endau/Rompin Heritage Exhibition” in 1985, and the “National Art Painting Open Exhibition” in 1989.
He remains a significant figure in the art world, and the public is invited to visit the “Archive Project: Mustapa Hj. Ibrahim” exhibition at the Potret Gallery, National Art Gallery, from June 26, 2024, to January 21, 2025. Admission is free. For more information, visit the official website at www.artgallery.gov.my or follow the National Art Gallery’s social media channels.
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