Segerak VII Bandera, The Spirit of Celebration, 2018, p. 25
Description
Segerak sees Yusof Ghani's inexorable return to non-obvious full figuration and this is nearing the last tranche, ending in 2019. The figure-types resemble Tari, except they are not dancing, but are facing unknown challenges and strife which are related to the art of survival. As he intoned: "Segerak has allowed me to explore the human figure as a symbol of life, which I transform into abstract statements to depict humanity's contrasting realities of struggle and victory, aggression and celebration, realism and fantasy." Segerak actually spanned 17 years!
Yusof Ghani started out doing Art-related jobs for 10 years without formal education. He was artist-illustrator at the Agriculture Ministry (1967), instructor in the Fisheries Institute, Penang (1971) and a graphic artist at Radio-Television Malaysia (1977). Then he got a scholarship to study for his BFA at the George Mason University in the United States (1981), and MFA at the Catholic University in Washington, USA (1983). On his return, he lectured at the Universiti ITM with the rank of Associate Professor, but unleashed some of the most memorable art series: Tari, Topeng, Wayang, Hijau, Segerak, Biring, Wajah, Ombak and Kuda. He singlehandedly organised the Shah Alam Biennale involving artists from 15 countries in 2016. Yusof Ghani made his London foray with an exhibition, Segerak VI – Transcendent Figures, at the Asia House in early April 2017. Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers with partners Galeri Prima and Pinkguy Gallery organised Segerak VIII: Utopia, the final edition of Segerak series, in August 2019. The exhibition received good responses.