043
b. Selangor, 1963
Jalaini Abu Hassan
The Puppeteer
2006
signed and dated ‘Jai 2006’ (bottom left), titled and dated ‘THE PUPPETEER 23-11-2006’ (top left)
oil on canvas
122 x 122cm
Provenance
Private collection, Kuala Lumpur; acquired through Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur.
Estimate
RM 26,000 – 28,000
EXHIBITED
Jalaini Abu Hassan: Berlacu Berdepa, Berlagu Berupa, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, 2006.
Jai investigates Malay identity, culture and psyche in his works, sometimes inserting his own persona to re-enact issues or events which may be related to him.This work is from his Wet series. The title, The Puppeteer, is scrawled on the top left of the painting with the date 23-11-2006 indicating when it was completed. The figure is depicted with hands raised chest-high in a symbolic gesture of a dalang, with his ‘puppet’ below him looking impassively outwards, waiting to perform to the master’s staged plan.
