Welcome to Padang Spotlights, a series of special episodes uncovering the rich histories of Southeast Asian artists and art spaces through archives and exclusive interviews.

In this spotlight, a quiet encounter with Crossing (1964) at the National Gallery Singapore leads curator Teo Hui Min into a years-long search into the life of Lai Foong Moi (b. 1931, d. 1994) — the first Malayan-born woman to hold solo exhibitions in Singapore and the Federation of Malaya. Celebrated in her time yet little remembered today, Lai’s story reveals the delicate interplay of forces that shape an artist’s journey.

Accompanied by conversations with her former student, artist Salleh bin Japar, and her contemporary, artist Yeo Hoe Koon, we trace Lai’s path from her promising return from art training in France to her later years on the margins of public memory. We invite you to consider her story not just in terms of artistic innovation or acclaim but as a reflection on the ambition, negotiation, and uncertainties that define an artist’s life and legacy.

Researcher, Host & Co-editor: Teo Hui Min

Co-editors & Producers: Adele Tan, Kelysha Cheah Kassim

Audio production, Music & Sound design: Chong Li-Chuan

-

If you’ve enjoyed Padang Spotlights, please take a moment to leave us a review.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Go to www.nationalgallery.sg for more podcasts and Southeast Asian art!

Artist Haryadi Suadi grew up in Cirebon on the northern coast of Java. The port city was famous for its long history of oceanic trade and rich material culture, including glass painting, a medium that Suadi worked with throughout his artistic career. In 1959, Suadi enrolled at the art school in Bandung, joining Ahmad Sadali and A.D. Pirous. He worked intensively with printmaking before working with glass painting from the mid-1970s onwards. Today, Suadi is known for his substantial contribution to the development of modern printmaking and glass painting in Indonesia.

This conversation with Haryadi Suadi’s son and collaborator Radi Arwinda, scholar Jérôme Samuel and curator Anissa Rahadiningtyas delves into Haryadi Suadi’s experimentations with printmaking and reverse glass paintings in Indonesia.

This programme took place at National Gallery Singapore on 19 July 2023 and was held in conjunction with the exhibition “The Neglected Dimension”.

Disclaimer: The comments and opinions expressed are those of the speaker/s, and do not represent the views of National Gallery Singapore.

All copyright within this recording, without limitation, are retained by their respective owners.

Written by Kenneth M. George and Mamannoor in 2002, ‘A.D. Pirous: Vision, Faith, and A Journey in Indonesian Art, 1955-2002’ is a thorough survey of artist A.D. Pirous’s life, works and artistic practice that was born out of the long-term collaboration and friendship between A.D. Pirous and George.

The book details A.D. Pirous’s stories on aspects of his life and artistic journey, highlighting his explorations of calligraphic forms and expressions and his critical position in developing the practice and discourse of modern and modern Islamic art in Indonesia.

This conversation between A.D. Pirous, Kenneth M. George and exhibition curator Anissa Rahadiningtyas explores Pirous’s works in the exhibition ‘The Neglected Dimension’ while delving deeper into the process of making his prints and paintings and the stories behind them.

This programme was livestreamed on 26th August 2023 in conjunction with the exhibition “The Neglected Dimension”. It was supported by Serambi Pirous and CIVAS | Centre for Indonesian Visual Art Studies, Bandung Institute of Technology.

Disclaimer: The comments and opinions expressed are those of the speaker/s, and do not represent the views of National Gallery Singapore.

All copyright within this recording, without limitation, are retained by their respective owners.