094

b. Negeri Sembilan, 1941
Latiff Mohidin
Pekalongan (Pago-Pago Series)
1967
signed ‘Latiff’ (bottom left)
ink on paper
18.5 x 12.5cm
Provenance
Private collection, Penang; acquired directly from artist.
Estimate
RM 8,000 – 10,000
Price Realised
RM 6,270

This work shows a sketch of a fishing village illustrated alongside a poem which seems to be spontaneously penned by the famed artist-poet. An extension of the scene depicting an interpretation of forms and a fishing boat can be found on the reverse of the work.

This sketch is believed to be done while Latiff made frequent travels around South-east Asia in mid 1960s. Though it shares similarities with a more complete Pekalongan sketch executed on an envelope, entitled BOATS, Pekalongan, Java (1967), the fact that it has both a sketch and a poem within the same work makes it an extremely rare piece by Latiff. Best known for his Pago-Pago series, artist-poet-writer Latiff was once quoted as saying, “A sketch is not really to catch the floating moment, but the atmosphere. Not only what is there but also what isn’t there.”