Zulkifli Yusoff

b. 1962, Kedah, Malaysia
Lives and works in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Enriching historical understanding through art is a conceptual hallmark of Zulkifli Yusoff’s practice. With a portfolio that consists of two-dimensional mixed media work, painting , sculpture and installation, he consistently seeks ways through which his art might encourage interrogations of personal and collective histories among wider audiences.

Zulkifli’s position in the Malaysian art canon is well renowned. Critical success came early in his career, and from a young age he has been the recipient of several major art awards. In both 1988 and 1989 he was presented with the Major Award for Young Contemporaries at the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. In 1992, he gathered three prizes at the Third Salon: the Grand Minister’s Prize; Major Award and Consolation Prize for sculpture; and also won an Honourable Mention in Painting in 1995 at the Philip Morris Awards. Additionally, he frequently exhibits at international shows, most notably the Venice Biennale in 1997 and in 2019.

His works have also been presented at the Biennale of Visual Arts in Seychelles, the Fukuoka Asian Art Exhibition in Japan, Immunity 11 show at Art Space, Sydney and the First Asia-Pacific Triennale in Brisbane, Australia. Major international institutions, including the Fukuoka Museum of Art and Hiroshima Art Museum in Japan and the Singapore Art Museum and Gallery, as well as local institutions such as Bank Negara Malaysia and the Kedah State Gallery, collect his work.