Artist-musician Ismail Mat Hussin is known for his batik paintings depicting the traditional Malay arts and pastimes and about life of fishermen and in the kampung. Here, he captures a silat combative move to the accompaniment of the gamelan, as silat can look like ritual dance routines, as in here, where the one nearest camera is looking aware while exposing himself to a strike. Unlike other arts, silat has become more imbued with the Islamic spirit in recent decades, and you get to see such manifestations in the works of Raja Shahriman, Amron Omar and even Dato’ Hoessein Enas. In Ismail Mat Hussin’s exhibition at Universiti Malaya, curator-printmaker Juhari Said wrote: “Ismail Mat Hussin is not all about making batik, but rather counting the fabric of one’s Self.” In watercolours, however, Ismail restricted himself to beach landscapes. Self-taught artist Ismail Mat Hussin learnt watercolours from school- teacher Nik Mahmood in school (Padang Garong) in 1954-1955 and later Khalil Ibrahim. He was also a musician, with a Grade V music certificate in violin from the Royal School of Music (London) and worked part-time as a musician at RTM Kota Baru. He became a graphic designer cum illustrator for Syarikat Percetakan Dian in Kota Baru, from 1979 to 1991. He was a member of the Angkatan Pelukis SeMalaysia as well as the Persatuan Senilukis Kelantan (Peseni).