Portrait : Jalaini Abu Hassan @ Jai

Undi Kami
mixed media on canvas
Hammer Price: HK$100,000 @ Christie's 2008

Jalaini Abu Hassan or “Jai” was born in Selangor in 1963. With a father in the British army, he spent his childhood moving around army bases in the country. He graduated from UiTM in 1985, and went on to study at the Slade School of Fine Art in London and later the Pratt Institute in New York under scholarships. Since returning home in 1995, he has built a career as an educator, at UiTM for over ten years, and is also an established artist.

Jai is now famous among fellow artists, collectors and the art-loving public and his star is rising fast; especially on the local front. His provocative and maybe even controversial work features strong social messages of change, struggle and survival. Using a wide range of materials, Jai is well known for his use of bitumen and charcoal to express his powerful work.

Besides malaysia, Jai has exhibited in Singapore, the USA, the UK and also in Spain and Iraq. Some of the noted exhibitions he has participated in include 12 ASEAN Artists (2002) and Malaysian Art NOW (2004) at the National Art Gallery, and Melbourne Art Fair 2006. And has recently done well at international auctions (christie's 2007). His painting, "Halal" fetched a record hammer price of HKD320,000 at Christie's Southeast Asian art auction in Hong Kong last November.

His works are in the collection of the National Art Gallery in Malaysia, and in private, corporate and gallery collections around the world.

Selected Solo Exhibitions
2008 Chanang, Borobudur Auction House. Jakarta
2006 Berlacu Berdepa, Berlagu Berupa, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur
2005 Wet Paint, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur
2004 Mantera, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur
2003 Work In Progress, Gallery Taksu, Jakarta

Selected Group Exhibitions
2007 Headlights, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur
2005 Rado & Art, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Spirit of Wood and other Treasures, Gallery Taksu, Kuala Lumpur
2004 My Darling Muse, Darling Muse Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
2004 Art Singapore 2004, Suntec City and Convention Centre, Singapore
2003 Grand Opening, Gallery Taksu, Jakarta, Indonesia
Art +/- 1000, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia