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| in masking, mix on canvas, 4.5 x 4.5ft.2012 |
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| CAMOUFLAGE, mix on canvas, 5 x 5ft.2012 |
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| RIMBA series, Nature Composition, mix media on canvas,4x4ft, 2012 |
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| RIMBA series, Wind Sketch, mix media on canvas,4x4ft, 2012 |
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| RIMBA series, Victory, mix media on canvas,5x5ft, 2012 |
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| RIMBA series, Beauty of Mistake, mix media and pewter on canvas,4x4ft, 2012 |
Malaysia artist, Zulkifli Yusoff and ismadi infront of 'Mengadap Rebab" at MAFE- Malaysia France Art Exhibition at ASWARA 2011
Deputy Minister of Information, communication and Culture of Malaysia infront of Mengadap Rebab, 2011

'Mengadap Rebab', oil paint on canvas, 8 x 6 ft (2 panel), 2011, MYR 30K. -not including the delivery cost.
Malaysia’s Beloved P. Ramlee
Article by Dr. Megawati Omar (Malaysia)
Blog Correspondent of ASEAN-Korea Centre
There are many Malaysian actors and actresses but the one who is admired by generations since late 40’s is the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee. His poker face in his funny movies wins the heart of many. His good looks win the soul of the romantic.
P. Ramlee, or his real name Teuku Zakaria Teuku Nyak Puteh, was an actor, a singer, a film director, a musician and a song writer. Prolific and multi-talented he was, he, to this day is loved by Malaysians and Singaporeans. Young and old have great admiration for him. Born in Penang, Malaysia on 22 Mac 1929 on the morning of the Aidil Fitri, he was of an Aceh lineage. His father was from Lhokseumawe, Aceh, Indonesia, who married Che Mah Hussein, Malay, in 1925 at Kubang Buaya, Butterworth, Penang. Penang is a state in the North of the Malaysian Peninsular.
P.Ramlee went to a primary school, Sekolah Melayu Kampung Jawa, and later to the Francis Light Secondary School in Penang. As the World War 11 broke, his schooling was disrupted but he managed to go back to school after that at the Penang Free School. During the Japanese occupation in Malaya P. Ramlee learnt to play musical instruments.
Beginning with ukulele, P. Ramlee then played the guitar and the violin under the tutelage of Mr Kamaruddin (a brass band instructor at the Penang Free School). He joined musical bands, Orkes Teruna Sekampung, and later Sinaran Bintang Sore. Out of it he won a singing award ‘Bintang Penyanyi Utama Malaya’ conferred by the Penang Radio Station in 1947. In that contest he used the letter ‘P’ (for Puteh) before his name Ramlee and the name remains to this day.
One of those who encouraged and tutored Ramlee in Malay films was L. Krishnan (the renown director of Malay films in the 50’s and 60’s). His successful acting was inspired by MGR and Sivaji Ganesan, actors in South India.
P. Ramlee‘s first film was Chinta (Love) in 1948. In this movie he was a villain and a background singer. His success soared and later became director of many popular films. One of his most popular films is a comedy, Madu Tiga (The Three Wives). The movie is about a business man, Jamil, who easily falls in love with beautiful women although he is married. Jamil’s roving eyes way is encouraged by his father-in-law hence he marries another two women. Movies directed by P. Ramlee commanded tremendous response by the public since he was brave enough to portray polygamy in a move, a taboo in the Malay society.
Then, he directed another great movie, Anak ku Sazali (Sazali, my Son), in which he acted both as son and father, which had won him the Best Actor Award in the Asian film festival. The movie is about tragic turns of a son, Sazali, who behaves ungratefully that he suffered downfalls from riches to villain. The father, falls into deep sadness after his wife died, excessively and wrongly dotted, Sazali. Sazali eventually turns a gangster. The father, admitting that he has failed as a father, then turns Sazali to police after he (Sazali) killed a person.
P. Ramlee was also a strong believer in social justice, which was portrayed in his movies. Two of such movies were Antara Dua Darjat (Between Two Castes) and Ibu Mertua Ku (My Mother in-law). Antara Dua Darjat touched the heart of two classes in the Malay society, the royalty and the common, was once banned by the government. In these two movies, his co-stars were the late Sa’adiah, a beautiful actress, and Sarimah, another well known actress.
However, towards the end of his life, his creativity suffered a downhill due to failed marriages, political movements of Malaysia and Singapore, and jealousy and rivalry in movie-making. Most of his sufferings were endured after he moved to Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, from the city of Singapore, after the state opted out from Malaysia in 1963.
Other than directing, P. Ramlee also wrote many genre of music. Many of his songs were sung by him and his wife, Saloma. Among the many songs he wrote, one is still played and loved by Malaysians, is Dendang Perantau (A Traveller’s Song). This is an AidilFitri song which is sung in the fasting month before the Aidilfitri festival. Aidilfitri is celebrated by Muslims once a year. Thus it be will be heard and enjoyed once a year in the midst of the festival, touching and moving the hearts of many who lived away from their home towns.
His last movie was Laksamana Do Re Mi in 1972 and he wrote last song and lyrics, Ayer Mata Di Kuala Lumpur (Tears in Kuala Lumpur), in 1973, a few months before he died. Although P.Ramlee had died 38 years ago, his movies and songs live, dearly loved by all. In fact, he is getting more popular each day. The National Geographic featured him in one of its series about Malaysia.
Posted by aseanblog in ASEAN Correspondents
Manjalara series-Nusantara Hidden Aura, 4x4ft, mix media on canvas,2011.SOLD on 11 Dec 2011.collection Mr.James Ong, Penang.
Manjalara series, Profil , mix media on canvas, 5x5ft, 2009. SOLD
Manjalara series, Relation, mix media on canvas, 3x3ft, 2011. SOLD
Manjalara series, Mudik ke Hulu, mix media on canvas, 2.5x3ft, 2011. SOLD. Collection Datuk Lim Edin Nom & Datin Amara Chong Giek Looi
Al-Baqarah, charcoal on canvas,5x15ft-3panel attached, 2010, MYR 20K-not including delivery costDescription of Works
Manjalara series,1997-2011Ismadi’s continues to explore the process of paint, using the human form as a vehicle to create emotion. Life, death, change and time are predominant themes running through ismadi' work, along with his feelings of a seemingly uncontrollable grasp that controls our destiny. Our knowledge and inspiration born from our mistakes and decisions, offers us both pleasure through our expression, and an uncontrollable frustration when our world is not created and shaped in the way we want it to be - helpless in our search for perfection.
Using mark, X normally to making as a code for his emotion, a story is unfolded, the beginning and end belonging to and seen through the viewers’ eyes.
Sketch and drawing are important. “Idiosyncratic drawings act as the foundation for each of my paintings. The unrelated, familiar elements and line work are always changing and derive from my everyday surroundings or even from the drawing itself. The subsequent, generic pattern acts in opposition to the personal drawings and serves to unify the separate factors. I intentionally challenge this equalizing nature as I maintain the integrity of certain drawn details by continuing to bring them forward in the layering process. My desired resolution is enigmatic; an ambiguous presentation of formal elements adhered to and disenfranchised at the same time.
Manjalara series-Lambaian Cengal, 5x5ft, mix media on canvas, 2011, MYR10K-not including delivery cost
Manjalara series- Gerbang Rimba, mix media on canvas, 4x10ft(2panel),2011,
Inderapura series- Red Butterfly, 5 x8ft, mix media on canvas, 2011.MYR 15K, available to view at crocodile rock, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.-not including delivery cost