Remembering Yusof Gajah: a special tribute to the well-beloved artist


The late Yusof Gajah's beloved and colourful elephant-themed artworks, illustrations and books are seen as an all-ages staple in the Malaysian arts and culture scene. Photo: The Star/Filepic

The Museum of Picture Book Art at the GMBB creative arts mall in Kuala Lumpur will be paying tribute to the late Malaysian artist Mohd Yusof Ismail, or better known as Yusof Gajah, this weekend.

The Yusof Gajah tribute, which will be held at GMBB's The Grey Box space, will take place this Saturday and Sunday at 11am to 5pm.

"The event will showcase his artworks - from public, private and personal collections - alongside sales of prints, T-shirts, books and other artworks by Pak Yusof's students. More importantly, this event hopes to be a gathering of all those who loved him and were touched by Pak Yusof’s endearing and inimitable art," outlines a statement about the tribute.

The Museum of Picture Book Art is collaborating with Yusof Gajah's family for the upcoming event. The artist was fondly known as "Pak Yusof" to his audience, which crossed the generational divide.

As one of the country's most celebrated artists and art mentors, Yusof Gajah's media spanned paintings, murals, installations, sketches, writing, theatre and children's picture books. He died on March 9 this year aged 68.

Throughout his colourful career as a full-time artist which began in the mid-1970s in Kuala Lumpur, Yusof Gajah, a proponent of naive style paintings and folk art, was known as a person who saw the importance of making art and creativity accessible and essential to the human experience.

"We sincerely hope that you would be able to join us and help this event #meanMore to those that mattered the most to Pak Yusof and those whom Pak Yusof mattered the most to. There will also be a donation collection in aid of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, a charity Pak Yusof himself had supported," the Yusof Gajah tribute statement added.

More info here.

Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 11.12/month

Billed as RM 11.12 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 9.87/month

Billed as RM 118.40 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
Yusof Gajah , tribute , GMBB , artist , illustrator , Malaysia , painter

Next In Culture

Hemingway classic still inspires Americans to run with bulls in Pamplona
Welcome to 'FIFA Gully': the Kolkata lane transformed by a love for football
Asia’s first Durian Experience Centre opens in KL, featuring museum, theatre
HK bookseller, seized by Chinese authorities in 2015, dies in Taiwan at 70
Haruki Murakami says his novels are 'different' from AI literature
In Melaka, Peranakan heritage gets a killer twist with murder mystery weekends
Malaysian photographer-turned-artist gives the forest a voice
New Haruki Murakami novel 'The Tale Of KAHO', goes on sale in Japan, his first with female protagonist
Weekend for the arts: BookStreet hits 5, Seni Reog in KL, 'Jom Kita Ke Laut'
Tens of thousands queue for the Bayeux Tapestry’s rare England show

Others Also Read