Autistic artist wins frontliner-themed poster contest

KUALA LUMPUR: To paint her winning artwork in a postermaking contest themed ‘A Salute To All Frontliners Around The World’ autistic teen artist Wan Jamila Wan Shaiful Bahri, watched various news channels to understand the Covid-19 situation.

The 17-year-old, professionally known as Artjamila, might have been confined to her home due to the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) but her artistic instincts got the better of her propelling her to participate in the competition.

Her mother, Noorhashimah Mohamed Noordin, 58, said watching the news inspired her special child to translate what was in her mind on the white canvas.

She watched the news in local and international channels to understand the global situation regarding the pandemic and described it in her painting.

“It is important that Artjamila understands what is going on and why we can’t spend time outside as we used to,” says Noorhashimah.

“Furthermore, one of her followers on her Facebook page commended her work and is waiting for her latest work on the pandemic,” she told Bernama.

It was all worth the effort when her painting titled Our Heroes Series 1 won first place in the poster competition a organised by Artdialogo Asia in collaboration with Kazakhstan-based The Children Are Painting The World Social Fund, on May 5.

Themed ‘A Salute To All Frontliners Around The World’, Artjamila’s acrylic painting offers a glimpse into how frontliners are working tirelessly around the clock to help contain the outbreak.

Interestingly, she was the only artist with autism who competed with other artists from South Korea, Kazakhstan, Lebanon and the Philippines under Category B, which is open to participants aged 13 to 19 years.

“I am very proud and happy and Artjamilah is also excited about winning the competition. This achievement will certainly be a boost for her to continue painting,” said her mother.

Commenting further, she said her daughter took a week to complete the painting based on her observations.

“She observed the doctors, patients, hospitals and so on (in the news). She uses mainly blue and green to represent the frontliners,” she said.

Noorhashimah said Artjamila would convey what was deeply ingrained in her heart and her feelings as well as beautiful memories through a doodle on a white canvas as her main medium of communication.

With the win, Artjamila’s acrylic painting will be exhibited digitally and published on the Facebook pages of Artdialogo Asia and The Children Are Painting The World Social Fund as part of the Healing The World Together Campaign, which was be launched May 8.

Moving forward, Artjamila’s name has also been shortlisted in an international drawing competition by The Indian Council for Cultural Relations themed ‘United Against Corona-Express Through Art’.

She has sent in an artwork titled Our Heroes Series 3 to compete with other amateur and professional artists from around the world. - Bernama