Childhood puppet shows inspire prize-winning art
KUALA LUMPUR: For her prize-winning piece, art student Norfatihah Yusof reached far back to her childhood for inspiration.
The 23-year-old used to watch Teochew puppet plays staged at the field beside her house at a village in Batu Pahat, Johor.
“I would watch a performance from start till finish,” said Norfatihah, adding she did not let the language barrier get in her way of enjoying the shows.
“The aunties would feed me delicacies such as dumplings and fried noodles.
“Of course, being a child, this added to my eagerness to watch the performances every year,” she said.
It is also this wonderful childhood memory that has inspired her to produce the painting.
Titled Discovering Teochew Puppets, Norfatihah’s painting of a young girl peering through curtains to catch a glimpse of two Teochew puppets clinched the first prize in the Charcoal, Ink, Pencil and Oil Pastel category at the Usaha Tegas Heritage Art Competition 2018.
“I feel that not many Malaysians know about Teochew puppet shows.
“I feel that we, as Malaysians, should embrace each other’s cultures as we live in a country rich with different cultures and traditions,” Norfatihah said after the prize-giving ceremony.
Art educator Dr Kim Phaik Lah, who was one of the judges, said the prize-winning pieces featured good techniques and were thought-provoking.
“You want it to fit the theme of heritage but also start a conversation.
“All the pieces are unique in their own way but they all are thought-provoking,” said Kim.
In its 19th year, the annual Usaha Tegas Art Competition attracted a record-breaking
1,531 entries from young artists studying at 26 institutions in the country.
This year also marked the first time that the competition received entries from artists from Sabah and Sarawak.
Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Lim Ghee Keong said the competition aimed to encourage young Malaysians to take pride in the country’s heritage through art.
“In this unique multicultural country, we have grown up being shaped by our diverse roots and it’s electrifying to see so much of our heritage celebrated on canvas today,” said Lim.