At first glance, the patterns across the surface of this work seem to make up a decorative, abstract composition. With a prompt from the title, however, we soon make out that this is a detail from something worn. Those familiar with traditional dress in Southeast Asia will recognise the lace corners of a woman’s kebaya top, resting over the folds of a batik sarong.

The layering of the different textures of lace and silk or cotton, and of pale, dark and bright colours creates interesting challenges and opportunities for the application of the watercolour medium. Using the white ground of paper with light washes of green brings out the delicacy of the lace, while the complex and fluid patterns of modern batik invite a play of marks and contrasts.

This is just one of myriad variations and possibilities of the sarong kebaya ensemble, and the painting’s choice and treatment of detail highlights the wonderful richness and flexibility of this traditional formal dress worn by women in many places in Southeast Asia, with variations in design cut, material and the textile worn as sarong. Within Malaysia itself, there are a number of styles of kebaya. This year, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and Thailand jointly nominated the kebaya for the United Nation’s intangible cultural heritage list, with a decision expected in 2024. For the artist, it “represents elegance and grace, with regional variations in design and style reflecting the unique cultural influences of each area”.