Mr Sidek Sanif
Senior Minister of State for the Environment
Ministry of Environment
MESSAGE >>
Singapore is a small country with very limited resources. Our strength lies much in our people. In the knowledge economy, we need many talented individuals as highlighted by Minister BG George Yeo in the recent Esplanade topping-up ceremony. We need world class business facilities and an excellent IT infrastructure. But we also need the arts. We can only be a global city if our environment is conducive for creative intellectual effort and that means an environment in which artists are well regarded and their works appreciated.
To this end, we must not only attract foreign artistic talent but also nurture our local talent. By organising solo exhibition for its members, the Association of Artists of Various Resources (APAD) has given tremendous support and encouragement to local artists. As one of Singapore’s prominent visual arts group, APAD can strive even further to contribute to our cultural calendar by organising solo exhibition for deserving artists who are non-members. In doing so, APAD will help uplift the standard of the visual arts and add to a vibrant local art scene.
In this solo exhibition, APAD has invited Mr Mohamed Abdul Kadir, or better known as artist S Mohdir, to exhibit his finest works. Appropriately, S Mohdir has chosen “Forward” (Hadapan) as the title for his solo exhibition. This demonstrates the artist’s desire to excel even further in the field of painting, which he has been doing with remarkable success over the years. I have known him since he was a schoolteacher. I have seen many of his paintings as well as his illustration in literature and books. I can say that his works are highly regarded by many.
I congratulate S Mohdir who has inspired us with his exemplary works and extend my best wishes to APAD for the success of the exhibition.
Abdul Rahman Rais
President
Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya
A STROKE OF WORDS >>
The Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD) is proud to organise “Forward” (Hadapan), the 3rd Solo Art Exhibition by Mr. Mohamed Abdul Kadir or better known as artist S. Mohdir.
In spite of his hectic schedules as a school teacher for more than 36 years since 1960, S. Mohdir has managed to indulge extensively in the visual arts, whether in his teachings or as a hobby. Since retiring in 1996, he still keeps himself busy through mentoring young budding artists in art class and courses, as well as doing other volunteer work. He is also one of the founder members of APAD. He has served as its second President from 1984 to 1992.
S. Mohdir started painting at an early age. He studied art at the Famous Artist School in USA from 1953 to 1956. His medium of painting is mostly in acrylic and watercolour. Apart from inspirational abstract work in juxtaposed form, he has also executed a large number of landscape, figurative and batik paintings. He is a sought after batik painting instructor to many schools in Singapore.
By organising a solo exhibition for deserving member-artist like S. Mohdir, APAD would be able to give him due recognition for his valuable contribution to the visual art as well as to the association over the decades.
I hope that you will enjoy this exhibition as much as APAD has enjoyed putting up the art pieces especially for viewers like you.