Spirit of Collectivism: Malay Art Societies in Singapore, 1940s–1970s (original) (raw)

Art societies played a pivotal role in the development and art practices of artists in Singapore in the early years. The Malay art societies were especially important during a period when the art scene centred around the dominant Nanyang discourse and overlooked artists from the minority communities.These societies offered platforms and opportunities for the early Malay artists with similar interests, cultural backgrounds and language to come together, interact and learn from one another. While most Chinese artists would have received their art education at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), mentorship and classes by the seniors such as Aman Ahmad (Pak Man) and M. Sawoot (Pak Sawoot) at the balai rakyat (community centres) provided aspiring young talents with an alternative route to pursuing art studies. Women artists also helped lay the foundation for art societies like the Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya or APAD (Association of Artists with Various Resources), formed in 1962, to continue to be relevant today as it reaches its 60th year in 2022.

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