Zainuddin Andika- The old Warrior

Meetings with great Creative Minds

In the course of three weeks the duration of Najjar's visit, I was blessed to be able to hook up with a number of creative individulas who is in the Who is Who of the Malaysian Art Scene. Two great poets, A.Samad Said, the National Laureate and Cecil Rajendra, the radical and controversial Poet top my list and followed by Raja Shahriman the 'Mystique' sculptor.

The Kedah born artist Anas

Another kedah Artist is Ramli Harun who does batik painting in the contemporary style.

Langkawi Artists

Shukri and Umi and gang from KL

LeeKhai my Chinese brother though not an artist has a creative mind about art more than most i know of.

Hamidi and the adminstrative staff members of ITM at Bandar IskandarMohammad Nazli Abdul Aziz, Managing Director of 'Three Hundred Sixty Sdn. Bhd., a man with a well balanced creative mind for business as well as art

Noor Azizan RahmanPaiman (Paiman)

Tengku Shahriman's soul searching sculptures.

I have yet to meet a more humble and down to earth artist whose works are in great demand and whose name has become one of the most well heard of among Art collectors. Maybe i am wrong, perhaps he was nice to the three of us who visited him on this particular day.
Najjar Musawwir impressed Shahriman as much as Shahrima impressed Najjar and they hit it off as though they had been friends most of their lives. Then again Najjar has that way about him that opens up the most stoic in our encounters with artists when we travelled.

The visit to Shahriman's studio was full of surprises from his Harley Davidson to his collection of antique Malay weapons, his sculptures and his life story to tell.I fell in love with the man immediately when I was introduced to him, he reminded me of a few of my friends in the East Coast in Kuala Terengganu.

Here is another soul tormented by anger and confusion at an early age and forged his way out of the gloom of darkness and suicidal tendencies into the light of creative energy and he attacked his demons with gusto to produce what seemed like fiery explosions of anger.

But the man is most serene and calm when you are in his presence, ever polite and like and innocent mind is very inquisitive thirsting to learn more of that which is there to be known about himself through art.

It was indeed an honor to be in the presence of a very young artist who is no doubt has a long and productive road of creativity ahead of him for i believe what he has created thus far has barely touched the surface of his creative reservoir.

His reform into Islam might have instilled into him the patience and dilligence to deal with that which has haunted his soul, whatever the case may be Tengku Shahriman in my mind is one artist who has found his salvation through his expression in his artworks.

I first enjoyed Shahriman's works when I visited the Petronas Gallery where he had his Solo Exhibition. The pieces just screamed for vengence with their fiery and sharp pointed jaggered edges piercing from every direction at me.

They also reminded me H.R. Giger's works, the Swiss Artist who did the design for the movie Alien, although Giger's is more sensuous and often obscene and vulger in nature in most cases.

Shahriman's creation are more surrealistice if not demonic in nature with a cerain amount reptilian quality is some pieces most of which evokes a sense of forebode and awe. They also generate a feeling of a raging battle in progress somewhere in the psyche pieces of schrapnels and splintered weapons manifesting outwardly through his works.

Symbolisms and iconoclastic images are fused together as though the mind has regurgitated from itself all that has been ingested and fermented through spiritual ignorance and nurotic inclinations; spit out and melted down to form new images forever petrified in cold steel.

From his furnance on to his anvil, he hammered and shaped distorted beings as though these were waiting to be liberated from the cold metal that they originated from. Perhaps in the process he was also liberating the very demons that had haunted him in his past.

For whatever reason for his creative action Tengku Shahriman has emerged from his dark tunnel into the light and this is reflected upon his ever smiling and gentle face like a man who had a brush with death and live to smile about it.

Masjid Ubudiah -Kuala Kangsar

I had the opportuinity to visit one of the most beautiful mosque in the country which is located in Kuala Knagsar, Perak. Mosques are one of the most peaceful places for one to take a break in just as churches are to the Christians and temples to the Hindus and Buddhists.

We arrived here from Penang on our trip to Kuala Lumpur visiting various artists along the way while at it.

These were a bunch of students from a nearby school performing their Zohor solat.

The mosque is one of the oldest in the country and its beauty is enhanced by the surrounding rich flora and fauna.

Kuala Kangasr is the royal town for the state of Perak, it is a small but beautiful town.

The old man reading the Koran by the door is a classic pose and later I met him outside while he was getting ready to leave. He gave me a smile as though he knew i had taken his picture.

Hasnul taking his Wudu or ablution prior to performing his solat. It is mandatory that one cleans oneself before any prayer and this in itself has its special forms and rituals. For five times a day in order to perform the prayers one is required to take the Wudu which when closely looked at has a great significance in our daily lives especially for those living in warm countries.

The prescribed manner in which one does the Wudu covers certain areas of the body which is required to be washed or at least covered with water. In the process of doing so on a hot day ones body is cooled off and with ones feelings and emotions, its refreshing. it also helps to elevate one's sense of awareness to a higher level from that which one had prior to performing the act.

The houses of God, a Mosque, a Temple a Church a Synagogue. the Sweat Lodge, the Guruduara, by whatever name and whichever form they come in are not only places of worship but are also retreats for those who seek solace and peacefulness within. Today these retreats are becoming more and more deserted as thought there is no more need for them. Then there are those always locked up to keep the faithful or those in need out for one reason or another which in a sense is an oxymoron defeating their purpose.