The works trace the animated cartoons of Raphael Scott Ahbeng who moved beyond landscape painting. This unique collection showcases his innate talent for storytelling, offering a glimpse into the artistic processes of his observations and critique of social issues. By discovering the relationships between people from all walks of life, the drawings reveal the lives of the community infused with humour.
From his secluded studio in Bau, Sarawak, Raphael Scott Ahbeng painted on a variety of subjects and styles, with his métier being abstract. Given his first solo in 1954, he took up an Art and Photography course at the Bath Academy of Fine Art in England (1964-1967). He also took up Drama in London in 1973 under a Sarawak Government scholarship. His awards include 1st Prize in the Sarawak Shell Open (1959, 1982, 1983), and 3rd Prize in the Natural Malaysia art competition in Kuala Lumpur in 1991. A Bidayuh, RSA, as he is sometimes known, is an artist (professional since 1990), a teacher, a photographer, a newspaper cartoonist and a radio producer. His solo exhibition Legend: A Borneo Artist at Pinkguy Gallery, showcases the complete oeuvre of Raphael’s 60 years of work.