Introducing Chew Song Kee, Grand Prize Winner of the 2018 Digital Art category in that year’s YOUthReka – Your Art, Your Story competition. His solo presentation this time around features a collection of digital concept art, whose sci-fi anime theme revolves around a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future. Click to view his profile video to get to know the artist better.

April Wong Xin Hui was the Second Runner Up in the 2017 Digital Art category, and currently works as an illustrator. Her works draw upon fond memories from her childhood. One of her more recent accomplishments is the publication of a children’s book that she illustrated. Her profile video allows us to get to know April better, and what inspired her collection of works for this exhibition.

First Runner Up in the 2017 Digital Art category, Freeda describes herself as a “zealous creator of art”, constantly striving to be a better version of herself. Her formal qualifications may be in the field of architecture, but Freeda remains passionate in artistic and creative endeavors. Currently, Freeda resides and works in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Her profile video gives us some insights into what inspires Freeda, and the importance of art in her life.

Currently a senior designer in a leading Malaysian healthcare corporation, Jimmy constantly searches for and experiments with different materials, modes, and methods of art creation. His series of epoxy resin sculptures is testament that as an artist, Jimmy never rests on his laurels, snug within his comfort zone. He was one of the consolation prize winners for the 2016 competition in the Digital Art category. His profile video takes a peek into Jimmy’s artistic practice, in particular, the process of creating the sculptural pieces exhibited. 

Si Ting was one of the Consolation Prize winners in the 2016 competition Fine Art category, and has a broad interest in several areas creative work. She currently resides in Singapore where she works as a Graphic Designer. Her creative portfolio spans fine art, photography, plus fashion and food styling, in addition to the work she has done professionally in graphic design. Her profile video gives us some insights into the thought process that led to the creation of her artwork showcased in this exhibition. 

Shahfiz was the Second Runner Up in the 2016 Fine Art category, and prior to that the First Runner Up in the 2014 competition. The youngest of three talented Nik Brothers, he is an accomplished young artist in his own right and has exhibited extensively in numerous exhibitions both locally and internationally. Shahfiz’s artworks are often surreal stylized depictions of the real world, usually related to his own take on issues he feels need to be expressed. In the artist’s profile video, Shahfiz tells us a bit about how the pandemic contributed towards the inspiration for his artworks.

Hieng was the 2017 Grand Prize Winner in the Fine Art category, but opted to join the group exhibition instead, due to his ongoing study commitments. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, China, majoring in printmaking, an area of art that he is most interested in. His paintings for this exhibition have been done in the ukiyo-e style, a Japanese genre that flourished from the 17th to 19th centuries, which in addition to painting, includes printmaking as one of the dominant forms. Although the pandemic caused him some difficulty, particularly in the area of his ongoing education, Hieng used it as an opportunity to hone his skills towards becoming a better artist, as his profile video reveals.

Muhammad Riduan bin Raja Yunus, or better known as SM Raja, was one of the consolation prize winners in the 2017 Fine Art category. His creation process combines his internalized feelings about a subject with what he observes happening around him at the same moment. The layered thought process employed by the artist translates to his artworks being themselves visually layered. In his profile video he sheds some light on how his artworks relate to the ongoing pandemic, and the trials and tribulations he had to endure.