Idris Mohamed Ali, fondly known as Pak Idris, is one of Singapore’s most senior Malay artists. For more than 60 years, this mostly self-taught artist has captured Singapore’s landscapes in colourful watercolours. He has exhibited at numerous group exhibitions, and had four successful solo shows. His works can be found in the collections of the National Gallery Singapore, National Heritage Board, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and various government agencies in Singapore and Malaysia, as well as private organisations and individuals.
A pioneer member of the Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD) or Association of Artists of Various Resources, Pak Idris has taught many young students under its Tunas (Budding Artist) programme, trained art teachers, and led a masterclass workshop at Maya Gallery. He is a recipient of the inaugural Hadiah Warisan (Heritage Prize) by Malay Heritage Foundation (2021), the Pingat APAD (APAD Award) in 1974, and the Cipta Mekar (Emerging Artist Award) for outstanding work at APAD’s Action ‘90 exhibition in 1990. He has also illustrated for various award-winning publications.
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Born in 1944 in Singapore and raised in Kampong Wak Tanjong, Pak Idris started painting at the age of 10. As he could not afford formal art training, he had a brief tutelage under early Malay artists S. Mahdar, Mas Ali Sabran and S. Mohdir. He mainly learnt from books, observation and practice, and took advice from the more established artists in APAD. At 18, he was one of the youngest participants in his first group exhibition, organised by APAD in collaboration with Lembaga Tetap Kongres, at the Victoria Memorial Hall in 1963.
Pak Idris has participated in close to 90 group exhibitions in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. His first solo exhibition, Water Strokes of Idris (1999) was organised by APAD. Currently represented by Maya Gallery, Idris has had three solo shows under their wing: Singapura Chantek: Five decades of Painting Singapore (2013), Khazanah (2017), and Hitam Putih (2023), and participated in the gallery’s art residency programme in Bali, culminating in The Journey (2013), a group exhibition with other Singaporean and Balinese artists. He also had a duo show, Soul Vistas: An Introspective Journey through our City, (2017), together with Jeffrey Wandly, presented by Maya Gallery and held at The Fullerton.
Specialising in watercolours, Pak Idris painted Singapore’s street scenes and landscapes on-site for many years, often choosing those places off the beaten track. His natural responses to the beauty of buildings and places have attracted many collectors. Apart from urban scenes, he has painted portraits; he was once commissioned to do a portrait painting of Singapore’s former President, Mr and Mrs Wee Kim Wee. With a natural talent for drawing, Pak Idris had embarked on a career as a visualiser and illustrator in the advertising industry for 20 years, including being part of a few successful campaigns while working for ACE Advertising and Ted Bates Singapore. He was an art teacher at APAD’s Tunas classes from 1964 to the 80s, taught secondary schools students, tutored art teachers, and led artist workshops at Maya Gallery.
Pak Idris is a recipient of the inaugural Hadiah Warisan (Heritage Prize) by Malay Heritage Foundation (2021). He received the Pingat APAD (APAD Award) in 1974, and the Cipta Mekar (Emerging Artist Award) for outstanding work at APAD’s Action ‘90 exhibition in 1990. He is also an accomplished illustrator, having illustrated various notable publications such as Birds Seen at the Istana, the award-winning The Mango Tree and Leluhur: Singapore’s Kampong Glam, winner of the 2021 NUS Singapore History Prize.
Through his talent, dedication, hard work and versatility, Idris Ali has contributed greatly to Singapore’s art scene.
“I like painting buildings, places and scenes around Singapore. I have doing that since my younger days. Growing up in Kampong Wak Tanjong, and now living in Bedok, I have captured kampong scenes, rivers, old houses and landmarks and skylines. Having witnessed Singapore’s development over the decades, you can see that I am not drawn to modern buildings and skyscrapers, as I find beauty more in the old places I am familiar with. Singapore is my home, so I choose a particular subject as I think about the next generation. These old buildings will disappear in time. Before we lose them, I capture them for keeps. Tomorrow, these will become a point of reference for the new generation.”
