Point of Balance

Ahmad Abu Bakar, the artist behind Tatler Singapore's artwork donation to the National Gallery Singapore, discusses the inspirations behind his body of work and his role as an artist and educator

- Hashirin Nurin Hashimi

From Angkor Wat in Cambodia in Indonesia to Borobudur to Wat Arun in Thailand, Ahmad Abu Bakar's fascination with ancient architecture captures a significant part of his artistic practice. The various forms of his works are often reminiscent of the stupas and domes of such architecture.

Case in point: Journey from a Point to Geometry #2, an installation of nine clay objects he created in 2001, each one standing on its own point on a steel plate. Through a $50,000 donation from Tatler Singapore, the National Gallery Singapore acquired the work as part of its permanent collection. It was recently unveiled at the Tatler Ball 2023 this November.

"I'm fascinated by the dynamism and monumental quality of such architecture," says Ahmad. "When I was doing research, I discovered the idea of a point of geometry, the philosophy behind dots and points. I started presenting the works in such a way that the whole idea is about life itself: how we are always looking for a sense of balance and, at the same time, perfection."