The most misunderstood, frowned upon and almost feared by; charismatic, multi talented most respected as an artist/ thinker is my close friend Hasnul Jamal Saidon. We got to know one another the day I walked into his office sometime in 2006 with a few sketch books of mine and he went bonkers with ideas the result of which I had my first Solo Exhibition at the ABM - AMRO, USM Gallery, downtown Beach Street. Hasnul launched the show and a Silat performance being staged by a group of English Silat Masters. My life as an artist in Georgetown began with that first Exhibition called HUMIND; this was what I owe my friend.
Hasnul is often lost in his 'quamtum field' where few would dare to venture into, as such he can be abrasive and uncouth in his manners if and when situation demands which sometimes does not sit too well with his local peers. In our 'Malay' society the art of being vague and evasive, indirect and roundabout are ways of the norm. But Hasnul has his mind and he delivers his thoughts an ideas with great amount of passion and energy that those not used to him often finds it to hard to digest; Hasnul has gone , "Round The Bend". He has been around the corner and saw the other dimension in the form of The Univesity of Southern Illinois and meeting the man, Najjar Musawir in his course of studies there. In the Black neighborhood of Southern Illinois along with his friend Najjar, Hasnul was awakened, the potentiality of the limitless space and the ability to manipulate time and circumstances: the Sothern Illinois Education part of his life was the bend of his creative impulses and passion.
Hasnul will throw your crap back at you and not blink an eye; you have to get use to it or best to leave him be; he to my knowledge has low tolerance for mediocrity and not being genuine about oneself as he is to himself. His ingenuity sometimes takes stabs at his fellow peers especially those of the Empirical 'Old School'. But he is bound and determined to challenge them to take the "Quantum Leap" with him into the unknown dimensions.
His former students and peers hold him in high esteem even if at a distance sometimes; but this does not impair him in his motion, he is ever ready to whack left and right if he feels the need to and more than often he would be on the right track. Blazing eyes and deep rooted contemplation is second nature to him when you engage him in a dialogue on his favorite subject, be prepared to listen as the dam break loose.
He is an excellent writer in two languages and sings and plays on the guitar like apro.
It is indeed fortunate to have met and got to know Hasnul, slowly but surely i hope I will get to see him flower into his Gardens or unveiled from his Hijabs.(veils). The last angry Men!
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