Image size: 25 x 17.5 cm
Latiff Mohidin, born in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia in 1941 completed his primary education in Singapore. While in Singapore, at an early age, Latiff’s precocity in understanding paintings earned him the nickname, ‘Wonder Boy’. From 1960-1964, Latiff studied art at Hochschule fur Bildende Kunste in Berlin, Germany and did brief residencies in Paris and New York. Inspired by his exploration of Southeast Asia in 1964, Latiff has since produced compelling series of artworks – the result of a synthesis between his European experience and the rediscovery of his homeland. He is also a poet who has published several volumes of poetry. ‘Angkor Vat - Angkor’was realized upon Latiff’s contemplation of Cambodia’s historical architectural ruins. Latiff seems to reflect its ruins as destroyed by time and nature in this production. Apart from the iconic representation of the erratic growth of plant-life, the textural trait is much emphasized here. The traffic of faint pigments, series of blotches of various sizes and sharp, energetic lines matched what Latiff had prescribed: not only do trees attempt to reach the sky, plants such as ferns, jungle beans and wild orchids too flourish in the ruins of sandstone structures.
