Iskandar Jalil's exhibition "The Pottery Voice of Iskandar Jalil"
Anybody who is a collector of pottery and sculptural pieces would be familiar with the works of Iskandar Jalil, one of Singapore's Cultural Medallion winners and leading ceramicist. Accolades, awards and acknowledgements abound for this inspiring master potter, touted as one of Singapore's best leading artist and a great teacher to boot.
Iskandar's recent exhibition at MICA's Atrium - Material, Message, Metaphor - The Pottery Voice of Iskandar Jalil - was very well received. In fact, I understand that 40% of his pieces were already sold, at prices ranging from $500 to as high as $8,000.
What makes Iskandar such a great artist?
First he doesn't take any short cuts. Those who have trained and learned under him can attest to his extreme fussiness over details. The perfectionist streak in him makes every piece that he produces a quality work of art.
Second, he takes great pains to learn and enrich himself over the years. A Colombo Plan scholar, Iskandar is no intellectual lightweight. Over the years, he has enrolled in numerous courses and travelled around the world learning, refining and honing his craft.
Finally, he nurtures and passes his legacy on to the next generation. Many have known him as a great teacher in the fine art and craft of pottery, and he has nurtured many proteges and disciples. A lecturer at the School of Design at Temasek Polytechnic, he is also involved in various academic endeavours at NUS, Nanyang School of Fine Arts, and Baharuddin Vocational Institute.Labels: art, inspiration, Iskandar Jalil, pottery
