Najib Ahmad Bamadhaj
b. 1987, Malaysia
This talented artist was born in 1987, completed his Diploma in Fine Art from UiTM Melaka back in 2008, and then pursued a B.A. (Hons) in Fine Art from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam, Selangor, in 2010. According to Najib, his interest in the arts began in primary school where he started with sketches and participated in poster design competitions in school.
From the time he began his career until today, Najib has participated in numerous group exhibitions including, Endangered, a two-man show with Hirzaq Harris at TAKSU KL (2011), Visual Art Award (2011), LiFest at MAPKL (2011), HIMPUN at the National Art Gallery KL (2010), and many more. Najib was also a Finalist of MRCB Art Awards at the National Art Gallery (2008), 1st prize winner in the Tanjong Heritage Art Competition in Kuala Lumpur (2010), and a finalist for the Visual Arts Awards in Kuala Lumpur (2011). Najib had his first solo exhibition, Great Migration in 2012 at TAKSU Kuala Lumpur. This collection saw the highly-rated artist exploring various themes through his endangered animal-centric mixed media artwork on a range of surfaces, including mud, cement, recycled wood panels, and zinc.
Developing from his previous series, which exposes the destruction of animal habitats as a result of human greed and the obsession with money and development, the artworks explore the idea of survival as animals migrate from their natural habitats to the urban jungle. Later he developed his muted palette to be enlivened with more vivid blocks of colour.
In 2020, his latest solo exhibition titled “Pride & Prejudice” in TAKSU Kuala Lumpur, Najib returned to a theme and style previously worked on in his series, but his focus shifted from animals as subject to women as the subject from which he gets his inspiration from a classical novel by Jane Austen and the movie adaptation of the same novel, and thus his latest solo exhibition was based on. He tackled the tricky subject of human emotions, and he’s embraced the practice of figurative art. However, the series’ real value is in the open-ended questions that viewers are drawn to consider. Najib wants us to challenge our readings of others, and unlike the animals that the artist used to portray, the one distinguishing feature among his new subject matter is the ability to think critically.
XX I
Acrylic, charcoal and fabric collage on wood, 122.5 x 153 cm
XX I
Acrylic, charcoal and fabric collage on wood panels, 122 x 153 cm
XX II
Acrylic, charcoal and fabric collage on wood, 122 X 76.5 cm
XX II
Acrylic, charcoal and fabric collage on wood panels, 122 x 76.5 cm
XX III
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 246 x 153 cm
XX III
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 246 x 153 cm
XX IV
Acrylic, charcoal and fabric collage on wood panels, 122 x 95.5 cm
XX IV
Acrylic, charcoal and fabric collage on wood panels, 122 x 95.5 cm
XX V
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 245 x 134 cm
XX V
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 245 x 134 cm
XX VI
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 152.5 x 95.5 cm
XX VI
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 152.5 x 95.5 cm
XX VII
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 183 x 155.3 cm
XX VII
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 183 x 155.3 cm
XX VIII
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 152.5 x 97 cm
XX VIII
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 152.5 x 97 cm
XX IX
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 116.5 x 456 cm (triptych)
XX IX
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 116.5 x 456 cm (triptych)
XX X
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 152.5 x 116 cm
XX X
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 152.5 x 116 cm
XX XI
Acrylic, charcoal & fabric collage on wood panels, 122.5 x 153 cm
XX XI
Acrylic, charcoal & fabric collage on wood panels, 122.5 x 153 cm
XX XII
Acrylic, charcoal & fabric collage on wood panels, 246 x 152.5 cm
XX XII
Acrylic, charcoal & fabric collage on wood panels, 246 x 152.5 cm
XX XIII
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 244 x 157.5 cm
XX XIII
Acrylic and charcoal on wood panels, 244 x 157.5 cm
XX XIV
Acrylic, charcoal and fabric collage on wood panels, 122 x 97.5 cm
XX XIV
Acrylic, charcoal and fabric collage on wood panels, 122 x 97.5 cm
Freedom
Freedom
Acrylic & Bitumen on Jute, 183 x 122 cm
Lover I
Acrylic on jute, 183 x 122 cm
Lover I
Acrylic on jute, 183 x 122 cm
Lover II
Acrylic on jute, 90.5 x 150.5 cm
Lover II
Acrylic on jute, 90.5 x 150.5
Hot Dishes
Acrylic on jute, 92 x 122 cm
Hot Dishes
Acrylic on jute, 92 x 122 cm
Survival - Venice
Acrylic on jute, 122 x 183 cm
Survival - Venice
Acrylic on jute, 122 x 183 cm
The Moment
Acrylic on jute, 153 x 210 cm
The Moment
Acrylic on jute, 153 x 210 cm
Walking The Path
Acrylic on jute, 153 x 201 cm
Walking The Path
Acrylic on jute, 153 x 201 cm
Survival Venice II
Acrylic on Jute, 183 x 122 cm
Survival Venice II
Acrylic on Jute, 183 x 122 cm
Unconditional Love
Acrylic on wood, 183 x 152 cm
Unconditional Love
Acrylic on wood, 183 x 152 cm
The Couple
Acrylic on wood, 153 x 118 cm
The Couple
Acrylic on wood, 153 x 118 cm
Stay Strong
Acrylic on wood, 148 x 122 cm
Stay Strong
Acrylic on wood, 148 x 122 cm
Lover
Acrylic on wood, 128 x 120 cm
Lover
Acrylic on wood, 128 x 120 cm
Survival 3
Oil and acrylic on jute, 200 x 200 cm
Survival 3
Oil and acrylic on jute, 200 x 200 cm
Survival 15
Acrylic on wood panels, 183 x 140 cm
Survival 15
Acrylic on wood panels, 183 x 140 cm
Survival 18
Acrylic on wood panels, 242 x 122 cm
Survival 18
Acrylic on wood panels, 242 x 122 cm
Survival Joe's Diary
Acrylic on wood panels, 124 x 138 cm
Survival Joe's Diary
Acrylic on wood panels, 124 x 138 cm