There have been many signs that the art scene in Malaysia is changing. This was obvious at the recent International Art Expo Malaysia (AEM) held in Kuala Lumpur. Moreover, just a couple of months earlier at the Henry Butcher Art Auction (HB), an all-time record auction price was paid for a Malaysian painting, one by Datuk Ibrahim Hussein.
All of a sudden, Malaysians are keen on buying art.
At the Fourth International Art Expo Malaysia (AEM) held from October 28 to November 1, some 12,000 visitors thronged the Matrade Exhibition and Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, mopping up RM11mil worth of art from the 49 booths set up by 19 countries.
What’s more, on August 8, heavy biddings pushed the sales in the first Henry Butcher Art Auction Malaysia (HB) to RM1.737mil, with a 1969 painting by Datuk Ibrahim Hussein selling at a premium of RM500,500—the highest price paid for a Malaysian painting anywhere in an auction.
If one didn’t know better, one would think that Malaysians are sophisticated dilettantes with a long tradition of art-buying. This sudden frenzy has left many stumped, especially since many of these collectors are new and young and have strikingly eclectic tastes.
In any case, this has been a banner year for Malaysian art.
