Sivam Selvaratnam (1937-2014) had a remarkably diverse art career, with her output ranging from vibrant paintings and intricate printmaking to innovative fashion design and collaborative projects, reflecting her multifaceted talent and passion. Photo: Estate of Sivam Selvaratnam
The late Malaysian artist Sivam Selvaratnam’s (1937-2014) acrylic on canvas piece, Curiouser, adorns the cover of the new coffee-table book Sivam Selvaratnam: A Life In Art.
As her final work, the 2014 painting extends her unique exploration of personal hieroglyphics, organic forms, and symbolic imagination.
Inspired by a revelation from Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland, it explores the search for one’s true self, blending sentimental memories with the intimations of nature.
Due to Sivam’s lifelong teaching commitments and frequent absences accompanying her husband, Viswanathan Selvaratnam, as he moved overseas for postgraduate studies in Britain and then for work in Britain, Singapore, and at the World Bank in Washington DC, her painting story resembles an incomplete jigsaw.
The newly-released book that celebrates Sivam’s contributions to the art world. Photo: Estate of Sivam Selvaratnam
She spent a decade in Singapore teaching (1979-1989), culminating her tenure as the head of the Art Department and coordinator of the Art Elective Programme at National Junior College.
During her 60-year career, she held only two solo art exhibitions: her first in 1970 at the British Council in Kuala Lumpur, and her last in 2012, the defining Rapt In Maya at the Universiti Malaya Art Gallery, which provided tantalising glimpses of this unheralded gem.
In Sivam Selvaratnam: A Life In Art, artist-curator Sivarajah Natarajan and guest writer Cyril Pereira organised a selection of 200 works from Sivam (from a total of 452) into categories such as Nature, Sacred Geometry, Gerimis, Textile (including batik on silk), the Colours Of Rain series, jewellery, Figuratives (including Manchester nudes and her 2010 self-portrait), Chroma, and the subtle resonances of musical interludes.
Art at the heart of her career
Sivam enjoyed a remarkable career as both an artist and an art educator.
She began with (British artist- educator) Peter Harris’ now- legendary Wednesday Art Group (WAG) in the 1960s.
Despite the dismay of her well-heeled Jaffna Tamil parents, she pursued her studies at the Malayan Teachers’ Training College in Kota Baru, followed by the Specialist Teachers’ Training Institute in Kuala Lumpur.
A painting from Sivam's early career, 'Malapetaka' (1962), reflects her initial foray into the art world, capturing a moment of profound expression and experimentation that hints at the themes and techniques that would define her later work. Photo: Estate of Sivam Selvaratnam
Sivam, born in Kajang, Selangor, continued her studies for her BA in Printed Textiles and Diploma of Associateship at the Manchester College of Art and Design (now Manchester Metropolitan University) (1965-1969) in Britain, and followed up with a Masters in Art and Design at the University of London (1987).
She had a brief teaching stint at the newly established Mara Institute of Technology (now UiTM), where she worked alongside other non-Malay educators such as Omar James McKendry, Jolly Koh, and Doris Chua Siew Choo.
As one of the stalwarts of the WAG, alongside more high-profile artists like Patrick Ng Kah Onn, Cheong Lai-Tong, and Dzulkifli Buyong, Sivam quietly crafted an impeccable body of work that captured tranquil yet stimulating facets of life.
In addition to Curiouser, the book showcases her notable pieces such as Woman With A Bird (1958), Malapetaka (1962), and the Gayatri Mantra series (2011).
A piece from Sivam’s 'Gayatri Mantra' series, exploring the spiritual and symbolic depth of the mantra, weaving together deep colours and shapes to embody the essence of sacred verses and their meditative significance. Photo: Estate of Sivam Selvaratnam
It also features A View From My Window – a plaka paint on paper work originally gifted to Harris and returned to her in 2008, a year before his death.
Other highlights include Sanctuary (1959), Sacred Geometry (1966), Tangerine Hills (1968), and Nikah (1961, National Art Gallery Collection).
The collection further includes Nolah (1961, National Art Gallery Collection) and Morning Raga (1994, Bank Negara Collection).
Diverse body of work
Sivam’s inspirations were wide-ranging with elements of Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky (Der Blaue Reiter, The Blue Rider art group) and William Morris’s Arts and Crafts Movement discernible in her works.
She also passionately explored the burgeoning Indian Modernism of Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Sher Gil, and the Tagores of the Bengal Renaissance, deeply immersing herself in Indian culture and traditional music, which echoes in some of her works.
Locally, she was captivated by the symbolism of Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal’s artworks.
A work titled 'Sacred Geometry' showcases Sivam’s mastery in blending intricate patterns with profound symbolism, illustrating her deep exploration of geometric forms and their spiritual resonance. Photo: Estate of Sivam Selvaratnam
Her diverse body of work rightfully earned her the distinction of being the “Female Malaysian Matisse.”
Sivam was also passionate about fashion design, creating pieces like the Malaysian Sunshine Dress, and printmaking, including woodcut and linocut techniques.
Her use of colour ranged from vibrant to subdued, playful to stoic, showcasing a rich array of permutations like simultaneous contrast.
Her polyphonic oeuvre intersected with various times and trends, spanning multiple media and encompassing totems of Figurative, Abstract (both organic and geometric), Patterning, Orphism, and even Pop Art.
Three notable group exhibitions to feature Sivam’s art were: Thou Art Women: Vignettes Of Earlier History Of Women Artists In Malaysia (Galeri Chandan, 2009), The Fine Art Of Fabrics (Bank Negara, 2014), and The Unreal Deal: Six Decades Of Malaysian Abstract Art (Bank Negara, 2017-2018).
Sivam Selvaratnam: A Life In Art, which is published by the Sutra Foundation and the National Visual Arts Development Board, serves as both an invaluable record of her career as an artist and educator and a testament to her 52-year love story with Viswanathan, 89, who steadfastly supported her artistic dreams.
It is available at the Sutra Dance Theatre and the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur.
