IDRIS Mohamed Ali
Visual Arts,
Accession Number 003979
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 13
Total Reels
- Mohd Yussoff Ahmad
Interviewer
- 06:37:03
Total Running Time
- Malay
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 13
Metadata
- 23 Dec 2014
Recording Date
- 00:28:51
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
He was born (70) and lived at Kampong Wak Tanjong. He was raised in a kampong together with 6 other siblings. Father was born in Perak Malaysia, was a teacher teaching at his village. He migrated to Singapore to work as a Police Officer during Japanese occupation. After the Japanese left he worked as peon. Mother a Chinese born and adopted by a Malay family. More on father‘s occupation as Japanese Police Officer and the suffering. He described his childhood life and even floods became part of their game.
Schooling experience – Started schooling at the age of 6 at Sekolah Melayu Geylang. He studied Malay Language, Mathematics and Arts. He used ‘papan batu’ until primary 2. He moved to Guillimard for primary 5 & 6. He started to learn English Language but he began to show more interest in arts and always scored the highest marks. Science teacher always asked him to draw science subjects like fishes, plants fruits etc. for other students to follow. His Art teacher’s description of him when his teacher begun to notice his talent. He always took part in Art competitions and often won top prizes. His mother always encouraged him to develop his talent but his father discouraged him because he felt being an artist was difficult to survive. After completing level seven he can’t continue to English Secondary school due to his poor results but he continued night school at Eunos to study English language from elementary level to highest the level. He spent 3 years until he obtained full certificate. He then started to look for Peon job as he failed to get better job. After failing to get even office job he ended up as a labourer, delivery boy.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 13
Metadata
- 23 Dec 2014
Recording Date
- 00:31:46
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
He described his work as a Labourer paid $5 per day, Delivery Boy $80 a month. He knew about a vacancy at Commercial Artist through Utusan Melayu. He started working at Studio One in 1968 as a Apprentise $100 a month. His job scope includes to draw black and white pictures and learning at the same time. He decided to work with other advertising companies in order to gain more experience. In 1969 he joined Ace Advertising and stay there for 8 years. He described his job scopes and among other things were illustrations for advertising. He explained how preparations were carried out before he showed to Art Director and finally final arts works. TV advertising was most difficult to do. The challenges he faced to complete his jobs. Although official time 9 – 6pm but he normally worked longer hours, especially if there was a presentation. Art department would have a discussion to come out with ideas. The main challenges were always the people he worked with. He has many clients with big names such as National Panasonic, Sharp TV, MAS Airlines and Indonesia Airlines. The best worked was Garuda Airlines. After 10 years with ACS he was retrenched as the Company suffered loses. He joined Papino Advertising just a year because the Company had to close down. Worked with Arts Friends Advertising for 3 years and he decided to resign as the salary did not meet up his expectations. He worked at Ted Bates advertising and the work was much more advertising. After 4 years the company move back to USA and he was retrenched. He was disappointed because he was quite comfortable. Since then he worked as a Freelance Artist. He worked with advertising companies who required his skills. Payment based on per project basis. He preferred to work full time because working part time was very tough he got too many things to handle himself.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 13
Metadata
- 23 Dec 2014
Recording Date
- 00:27:22
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Advertising industry in the 70’s to 90’s was very exciting and jobs were easily found. He believed to work as an Illustrator one must have the talent and being able to communicate with clients. Other jobs needed better academic qualifications. The very competitive environment among advertising companies led to closure of these companies. Small companies would end up with small jobs. Descriptions of people in the advertising companies and Malay illustrations were not many then.
Though Malay Illustrations not many but they stay in touch. They have to be patient and to do the right things if they want to survive. His daily life as an Illustrator was fun because that what he likes to do despite long hours and stressfull. His Art pieces had won award during yearly competitions. Unlike Idris many advertising personel were sociable however he still remained friends with them.
He prefers to be a Painter than Illustrator because being a Painter was his hobby and passion however both gave him satisfactions. He had to stop doing commercial work since 2000 due to his age factors.
Age factor is important because that has affected his ability to produce good jobs. His family is fine with what work he does as long he can bring income. He is very concern about his income but he has to continue to be a Painter now to supplement his income. More about his long hours and stay overnight to complete his works. Challenges for being freelance artist is to get continues jobs and to depend on recommendations.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 13
Metadata
- 24 Dec 2014
Recording Date
- 00:30:45
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
He described how he started drawing at the age of 10, he would scribble all over the house or whatever he could grab, that made his father bought him Lone Ranger comics and asked him to coppy on sketch book. That was his turning point when he took drawing seriously. His liking to drawing came naturally and he didn’t have any favourite corner. Despite spending more time drawing alone, he still spent time with his Kampong friends. He continued to draw until he reached teenage age and his quality of work got better. His of drawing subjects kept changing and from black and white to colour and pen. However his father objected his request to attend formal class because he felt artist had no future. But his mother helped him out financially to attend the class because she belived in him despite anger reaction from his father. He described how he learned basic drawing from S. Mahadar by using pencils and technique of drawing. After about one and the half year S Mahadr had to leave Singapore. He then continued learning from Mas Ali Sabran at his house – Lorong Abu Kasih, Paya Lebar Road. It was with Mas Ali Sabran where he learned about watercolour and began to develop the techniq of using water clolour. He described why watercolour were so attractive to him. He was told that if he wanted to use watercolour he had to be brave. He paid 10 cents for every lesson at CC. There were about 60 Malay students attending S Mahadra class and most of them were teenagers. He described how S Mahadar conducted his class. Mas Ali Sabran only thought Idris and that was just a favour for him.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 13
Metadata
- 24 Dec 2014
Recording Date
- 00:31:08
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
He shares how he was chosen by Mas Ali. How Mas Ali tutor him art and scheduled of his lessons. Mas Ali style of teaching were very friendly and that helped him a lot. He described S. Mahadar and Mas Ali in their 30th. After 2 years with Mas Ali, he started to paint himself. He began to work towards improving his water colour skills through self-taught.. His mother supported him financially. He shared how he work out his painting journey. He joined Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD) in 1962 who headed by En Ghani Hamid. APAD was operating from Ghani’s house. He helped APAD to run drawing class at Al Marif Madrasah in 1964. The students grew from 15 to 150 students across all ages and mixed gender. After 10 years the class had to move out to Haig Boys then moved to Haig Girls then Telok Air Perfromance Centre which eventually affected the numbers of students attending the classes. Student’s fees were $5 and that money then used to pay rentals. He described his teaching medium and technique. His motivation to teach was to get Malay community to appreciate arts eventhough no payment ever received for almost six years. He understood APAD financial constraint that was why he did it willingly. However many volunteers left APAD because they could not take it. He decided to stop teaching because of age factor. He named teachers in APAD. He explained why APAD was not capapble to grow the intake and classes. APAD class eventually narrow down to children class just one class mixed of many races.
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