Farouk Khan could possibly be to the Malaysian contemporary art scene what Charles Saatchi is to the British one - with his art collection of some 800 works; and counting. 

The interesting twist to this is that Mr Khan is actually Singaporean, even though he has lived in Kuala Lumpur for the last 15 years or so.

Now, Singaporeans - and Malaysians - can view a fraction of his collection, as he brings some 150 works to Johor Bahru, in an art exhibition the size of which is rarely seen outside of Kuala Lumpur.

The Iskandar Malaysia Contemporary Art Show (Imcas) which opened on March 21 at Danga City Mall showcases about 1,000 works from more than 100 artists, besides the 150 works from Mr Khan and his wife Aliya's private collection.

'The state government was the one which mooted the idea,' says the 55-year-old businessman, who was only willing to reveal that he 'used to be in timber' and that he's largely retired now. Mr Khan also chairs the committee that organised the main art show.

Creating an awareness

The Khans' private artwork collection forms part of the overall exhibition in a 2,601 square metre space at the mall, and this is the first time they have shown it to the public.

But the pieces from his collection aren't for sale, he clarifies. What's up for grabs instead are the other works on show by emerging artists, with prices ranging from RM1,000 (S$420.27) to RM3,000.

'We wanted to create an awareness for Malaysian contemporary art, which is undervalued, and also make it accessible for people to buy it,' he explains in a phone interview. It's also a great exhibition for Singaporeans who are budding collectors, as the works are very contemporary and of high standard, he says.

Mr Khan is enthusiastic about Malaysian contemporary art, but admits that he was a 'Philistine' before, and that it was his wife who 'converted' him.

He learnt the ropes of collecting along the way, and the couple often did their own legwork and research, by finding out about the artists, meeting them and following their careers.

To him, Malaysian contemporary art dominates in the region, because of its practitioners' links to the United States and Europe, and for its wide range of themes and materials used. For example, he cites artists who were sent to do second degrees in Fine Arts in the US in the 1980s - many of whom returned to teach in the School of Art and Design in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

'This meant that the contemporary art movement in the US was similarly captured in Malaysia,' he explains. Even before that, the foundations of contemporary art in Malaysia were set in the 1950s and 1960s, when artists were sent to study in the United Kingdom, and returned to teach also at UiTM.

For those who just want a peek into the famed Aliya and Farouk Khan collection, this is a good chance to spot the established artists they've collected - works by Yusof Ghani, Zulkifli Yusof, Annuar Rashid, Tan Chin Kuan, Jailaini Abu Hassan, Masnoor Ramli, Ahmad Shukri, Jegadeva Anurendra, Jeganathan Ramachandram, Ivan Lam, Choy Chun Wei and Yau Bee Ling.

Explaining his selection for the show, Mr Khan says that these are major works over the last 30 years in the Malaysian art scene. There's even a 'capsule retrospective' of Jailaini Abu Hassan's works over a 10-year span, for example.

International presence

For the record, Malaysian contemporary art has been spotted at international auctions, fetching prices in the region of RM117,000 to RM213,000 last November and May. And if you need any other reason to drive across or take the KTM train to Danga City Mall, the Khans' collection is also slated for show at the Malaysian National Art Gallery early next year - so art lovers might want to get a preview of things to come.

The Iskandar Malaysia Contemporary Art Show at Danga City Mall will be open to the public until June 14.