Masturah Sha’ari is an art historian, artist and co-founder of Maya Gallery. She is also president of Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD), an association of Malay artists in Singapore, established in 1962, and an exco member of The Singapore Arts Federation. She holds a MA in Asian Art Histories from LASALLE College of the Arts, where her research focuses on the collective efforts of Malay artists and societies during Singapore’s post-war period. She has curated exhibitions, produced catalogues, spoken at museums and institutions, mentored female university students, and once taught art and drawing at a local polytechnic. Masturah creates abstract expressions with acrylic, brushes, palette knives, and even construction materials, giving a certain fluidity yet rawness to her work, which often reflects her emotional responses to her life experiences, relationships, and motherhood. Her works have been exhibited at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Affordable Art Fair Singapore, Art Expo Malaysia, Pan Pacific Hotel Hanoi, and Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi.
“The works for this Creative Journeys commemorative exhibition this summer are inspired by memories and intuitive moments that I have experienced during my regular visits to Hanoi, where my husband has commuted, lived, and worked for the past 10 years. These abstract paintings continue my exploration of this historic city, its streets, and waterscapes. They are also inspired by the many walks we had along Hanoi’s largest lake, West Lake. The brush strokes, colours and layers, both fluid and deliberate, mirror the dynamics and rhythms of diplomatic relations, inviting us to contemplate on the journeys we traverse together, our shared history, and aspirations.”
