About
Ahmad Abu Bakar (b. 1963, Malaysia) graduated from LaSalle SIA College of the Arts with a Diploma in Fine Arts (Ceramics) in 1989 and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (Sculpture) from the University of Tasmania (Australia) in 1995. Upon his return to Singapore in 1996, Ahmad joined LaSalle College of the Arts as a full-time lecturer where he taught ceramics and 3D studies. He also pursued his Masters of Fine Arts with RMIT / LaSalle–SIA during his teaching period in the college. Ahmad left LaSalle to focus on his art practice in 2008.
As an artist, Ahmad had participated in numerous group exhibitions in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand, The Philippines, Korea, Australia and Indonesia. In 2009, he was invited to be a part of Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale and the International Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition: Asian Ceramics Network and Selsius, held in the National Art Gallery, Malaysia in 2007. He was also invited to participate in the inaugural exhibition of the Singapore Art Museum’s new contemporary art wing, 8Q. Ahmad has also co-curated a showcase of Singaporean Malay artists entitled Tok Selampit Millenniumin 2004 at the Jendela art space (Esplanade, Theatres by the Bay) and in 2007, a group show featuring contemporary ceramicists from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam entitled Mapped in the same venue. He did his first solo exhibition ' Ini Tanah Aku Punya ' in 2012 at Jendela Gallery Esplanade. In 2013 Ahmad had participated the Singapore Biennale 2013,he collaborated with the inmates from Singapore Changi Prison. In 2013 he
participated in 'Budi Daya' at Malay Heritage Centre and in 2015 he participated in Secret Archipelago at Palais De Tokyo in Paris.
Since 2009, Ahmad has dedicated his time to working with the Singapore Prison as an art instructor, where he mentors the inmates in an Arts programme (3D studies). Into his fifth year in this programme, Ahmad has successfully inspired the inmates to express their creativity through art and instil confidence and conviction through the processes of art making. Currently he is an adjunct lecturer at NIE (NTU)