089

b. Kelantan, 1933– d. 1993
Nik Zainal Abidin
Dua Bersaudara
1964
signed (bottom)
mixed media on paper
56 x 15.5cm
Provenance
Private collection, Penang.
Estimate
RM 13,000 – 20,000
Price Realised
RM 11,000

This is the only known monochrome work of Nik Zainal, with two mirrored figures shown looking out and holding weapon. This is clearly a unique Nik Zainal piece with very subtle dash of cream colour on the flanges. On the reverse of the painting, a rough sketch of a male figure is seen on the right, with studies of a few heads in the background.

In Contemporary Artists of Malaysia: A Biographical Survey, Dolores Wharton wrote, “There are many who tried their hands at painting wayang kulit but none has unlocked the vitality of drama or acquired the skills of painting the figures that Nik Zainal does so effortlessly."