Ahmad Khalid Yusoff Sold at Auction Prices

Known as the foremost Malaysian artist using khat calligraphy technique in his painting practice, Ahmad Khalid breaks away from the prevailing style of Abstract Expressionism with his Alif Ba Ta series, skilfully developed from 1971. The two key elements in his works are the choice of khat motifs as pictorial forms and the dimensions of his pictorial method. Rhythmic optical images are transformed in his compositions which essentially originated from the art of khat. Ahmad Khalid graduated from the Malayan Teachers College in Kirby, Liverpool in 1957, then joined the Specialist Teachers Training Institute in Kuala Lumpur in 1963. He studied at Winchester Art School (1966 to 1969) and continued his studies at Ohio University, obtaining his MFA in 1976. He taught at the Mara Institute of Technology between 1970 and 1989, retiring as Deputy Dean in Academic Affairs. He served as Shah Alam Art Gallery director from 1991 to 1997, and was the founder-president of the Malaysian Artists Association established in 1979. In 1994, he was appointed Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka guest writer.