Ibrahim Hussein, a son of a farmer from Kampung Limau, Yan, Kedah, was born on 19 February 1936. He has had a passion for visual arts since he was a little boy. His brothers, one of which Malaysian 8th National Laureate, Datuk Abdullah Hussein (19202014), as well as Tan Sri Profesor Emeritus Dato Pendita Ismail Hussein (19322014), had noticed his passion in visual arts since he was in primary school. Both of his brothers have supported and helped him in becoming a worldrenowned artist. Ib can be seen as a celebrity artist. As one, he is not only surrounded by other world renowned artists, but he is also quite close with the political figures.

A flashback into Ib’s journey as an artist, starting from his primary education up until his most prestigious award and recognition, as well as his contribution to the making of Ibrahim Hussein Museum and Cultural Foundation. These phases can be divided into 6 eras, from the 1950s to the 2000s.

The first era is in the 1950s where Ib bloomed as an artist in Singapore. Followed by the second phase, in the 1960s in the time where Ib pursued his studies in the UK and his exploration in the United States where he spent almost a decade abroad, practicing his signature technique, Printage Pop Art.

Next, the third phase is in the 1970s. This is the time when Ib came back to Malaysia and has been active in the local art landscape. Phase four started in the 1980s where he began to explore the wavy lines technique with ink. The fifth phase was in the year 1990s where the ideas of creating the museum came about, and the huge effort in gathering funds and support was done. The last and final phase would be phase six, in the 2000s. This is the time where the Ibrahim Hussein Museum and Cultural Foundation was in operation. It also marked the final phase of Ibrahim Hussein's career.

A special exhibition commemorating Ibrahim Hussein’s 85th birthday called, ‘ARKIB: A Collective Memories of The Ibrahim Hussein Museum and Cultural Foundation’ was held. It showcased newspaper articles and documents relating to the making of the museum.

Other than photos shared by the visitors of the museum, which consist of the public, fellow artist, and Ib’s best friend, these photos are shared on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag #ibrahimhusseinlangkawi. These memories with Ibrahim Hussein are shared online, during this trying time of the pandemic, and all of it can be viewed in the gallery.

All of the archives can be accessed from the Reference Centre of Southeast Asian Art, Pusat Rujukan Seni Asia Tenggara (Pusat). We aim to widen the knowledge about Ibrahim Hussein, as he is indeed one of Malaysia's most important art figures. We hope to visualize and bring closer the public to the Ibrahim Hussein Museum and Cultural Foundation, which once stood tall as an art hub in this region.

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