Israfil Ridhwan (b. 1999), is a visual storyteller based out of Singapore. He transposes the lived and dreamed experiences of the people around him into a colorful arrangement of warm hued canvases. The oil paintings of Israfil feature neo-expressionist poster-like compositions, an alluring medley of relayed narratives and inspirations. Vivid colours, bold outlines, and rhythmic figures welcome audiences to walk through a series of cinematic stills. Mysticism, movement, and drama breeze through Israfil’s latest collection of work as he crafts a harmonious marriage of local encounters with neo-latin cultural influences. Inspiration from baroque masters is apparent in the strong contrasts between light and shadow, or chiaroscuro, of Israfil’s paintings. Israfil Ridhwan graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts 2020 with a Diploma in Fine Arts and has since shown in group exhibitions including Little Red Dot – Singapore Edition (2022), Fresh Take (2021) and held his first solo exhibition, The Divine Comedy in 2021 at Cuturi Gallery.
For more information about Israfil, check out his Instagram.
