My father subscribed to life magazine. Life magazine in the sixtys was really from best magazine. In her incredible pictures and you know its a picture magazine. There was this spread from the renaissance. Series of new its. Really grabbed you know that really grabbed me. Ill go behind the armchairs a lie on my tummy and i was like popping mcgrory. And just. Copying and copying over and over again you know it was essential. This excitement about felt. Hasnt changed much to be. There is something which which i think you both lose then ill probably stop painting. Was. I thinking is bananas i think thats my favorite. This one they have to have i think i like this one best. I like the way the two been on the sort of. Kind of untangled english of a you know its like clothes spinning song all friend. But you have to you know they seem to sort of sit. Comfortably on the table. You know sometimes when youre in the how do you think youre close enough you dont. Not very often that both my parents are gone i dont come down very often. Its not the same family house anymore but i think hes done a good job of building the house in that kind of like same spirit so the front doors would never close in our house except that not. We used to have lots of around the country needs. Trees and all that but its all gone but in a respond it looks so green it looks like a jungle now from the outside. A thing the only. Advantage of being a boy in the family is that you know in a traditional house i dont get to do any housework. I mean get back to my sister we know. He will never climb there im with the entry and pick there im going down because he was busy drawing all the time you know he just locked himself up in the bedroom and just draw you know while i was the one who had to climb the tree split the room with you know and then sort the room with hands out and distribute them to the neighborhood. Hopes and aspirations of my mother. And you know. I mean of course at that time nobody thought that you know being an artist you know you could make money from being and i and of course my mother was worried you know because hes the boy hes supposed to have to support the family. I knew that when i was growing up i was extremely rebellious. My parents very religious my mother had someone come to the house to instruct me to teach me but i kept questioning him you know where to go or. Of course he come im sorry but. In the end he left. He just didnt come by any more i think he was by out of me. All the friends around the neighborhood. We used to run around together and so my friends had a small goal. Is no god. And theyll run home and. Sit in the arm i go tell me when i get a beat to get. To. Two of my favorite christmas. Chrysis. Additionally some illegal weapon their seasons in carvings. Which dates back like a thousand years before people forging the crease. See how beautifully cough it is. Its a killing tool yeah its meant to kill it is. Something that is. Dangerous but at the same time beautiful the blade is full of what we call. A blacksmith but hes not an ordinary. Blacksmith. Normally. Is a spiritual person you know he goes through various rituals its almost like a priest he strives to put the spirit into it into the metal people sometimes nowadays look down and cross you know because the thing its a lot you dont. Me. History thats history. You know. People. Very interesting with. Children. There was a time i think when. He felt it was time to draw. One of us had and i remember that. And my sister and i would just. Buy my brother. And. I was going to be. You have. To make. Me. Something. He was not like war he didnt do well in school you know who were around the house and say i dont need to study i tell him. I dont need to i think. He was very lucky when he went. There was. And they had to agree. Because. You know. I think you might not make money the intention was always you know after the foundations course to go into fine arts because thats what i wanted to be you know. But then again you know these voices from my sister and my mother and saying you know youre going to know its going to be coming off. And there are no rules or what do you think design and school. I went into design. School i went into the commission. I was working as a straight. As a designer. And i was working on a lot of big corporate clients you know Like Singapore Airlines some of what the respond we shouldnt go for. Every week ill make maybe two or three trips to singapore to get briefs. But i didnt like the nine to five life you know i find it very difficult to leave the room conform to that. There be meetings of the meeting easy nobody changes. When you do a piece of work. You do not believe you will you know and have a ties or use the program. To hire. Really intelligent people to say. I was doing very well but i was unhappy. I just took tired of it all so i quit i think i quit i would thousand and. Ninety one. And i started going to. Probably the most critical moment was his decision to go back to your home town i just got married a year earlier my wife was expecting i was with child. I wouldnt know whether i would make it as a painter. And went back to g. B. And i sleep at the back of my mothers house my mother fed me. There was nobody mouth money. I was almost penniless. First printing didnt work the second painting didnt work. Until one day i buy a coincidence i met a friend who. Who knew. Where the senior artists in malaysia if. You said do something as simple as possible dont think too much so that paintings came about i think id be more simpler than a still life. And he was a very bold statement to make because in the one thousand nine hundred who was being still like nobody was doing still life and he was somebody who came and said look im going to stand in the shadow of the masters and work within that tradition yet with a great deal of eccentricity and a lot of quirkiness and of course that he has a great deal of humor hes a humorous person himself. So. I did the whole series of still lives of. Various compromising positions. Thats where the work. Started selling. For a while it became. My trademark. Ive always read. The listed live on and off you know i might do tree. To fall he says the. Obvious like a like a long love affair you know critics will. Say. I dont know what he called this. But its a very family looking thing. This side of the shop now but it looks nice i was looking for a small object actually to put this big thing on the know something feel almost invisible. The first stages of painting is always very technical. At this moment. Im just getting. To get a grip of the form of the whole thing. So i might not be to. The right. You got the form you cannot get the rust off. The notion of a form in the western context and the notion of. Quite different you know within the western context form is it something which is totally physical. Looks like this. All those working in the still lives you know but my real interest was the figure of the human figure. I mean certainly in the context. There are conservative muslims that are politicised muslims who feel that to draw a figure is against the teachings of islam. They could meet i dont. I think what interests me was not the act of smoking the smoke from the cigarette was covering the persons face. It was in a physical mass but it was a circle of people in moscow. The works. Took on a different dimension. There was a period when zack is on the meta you know i am actually did not teach figure drawing because of the influence of a politicized islam at the school. When i was a student one of the assignments we had. After history was to copy a painting by an old master. The painting that i chose to copy was it was christ on the cross it was because of fiction. It was amusing because you know because its such a horrid notion. I was always intrigued. I mean for religious the movie doesnt matter whether its islam or strategy old buddhism or hinduism. His journey all these excavations have taken him into a part of both the millennium Southeast Asian pop past that today is very contentious which is basically the very vibrant and still very vital previous let me past influenced by hinduism and buddhism hes painting a buddha its for example the malays didnt get rid of their please let me traditions they rationalize them and there was. Process of a metamorphosis in which such peace loving believes pretty and very nicely with more mystical trends in islam and the malays were mystics. And that has been the experience of islam for all the centuries up to very recent times in the past forty or fifty years. The challenge of. Pewter technically islam has been a more recent one. The rise of wahhabi islam terrorism Al Qaeda Islam nine eleven ism you know bush reactionism all these kinds of things we understand islam within that within that prison islam has. So many dimensions. In which people can operate in gravity and our it is our reductionist approach not just by non muslims but increasingly by muslims that islam is exclusively and its this aspect of islamic law what can and cannot be done dominate everything and with some breaks im going. To embark through the school in my phone someone slashed the preachings. There was a group. Quite radical muslims running around in the temple. In those days. And i think it was very. Honest it is a difficult climate to be controversial in this country because. You know that i feel that the controversies attacks are really generated for political reasons. As a political project in terms of wanting the country to remain. And the middle east in particular in the muslims in particular to be a certain kind of milling in a certain kind of mostly you know conservative tradition no. I think with all fundamentalists and conservatives its a its about control conformity power and the having the sole power and authority to decide this is how you should think this is how you should act its just you should paint. My first film to london in one thousand and forty three. When you live in malaysia or you dont go to see great god. The artist in your mire and you see books magazine. What are you looking for when you see a piece of fire. I dont look i feel you know its more to the earlier in the piece makes you want your hearts skips a bit him up. Or even im interested you know if i look at it i mean doesnt do anything to my feelings that. You know i dont do much. The painting in the book is. Hardly a missile. Sort of production. In a painting on the wall and if youre out of your museum you know that the mission is bright red. Theres nothing like it. You know a lot of young out this looks like in a place like this and. They want the success you know but behind the successes a lot of hard work a lot of disappointments and so you have to learn to handle all those you know not only out this who are shown here had an easy life you know if you look at. Those words you see in the last gallery you know but you see. Them. You know those were the early days of modernism you know and they have to struggle to find a language a new language to speak you know to get rid of representation. You know sort of have to feel that were around and that was it was an easy you know to do you look at them theyre nice here in this. Nice modern museum you know. The artwork looks like the steam on the wall you know the making of it is different. I think we. Can. Its falling western digitals you know so even when i was in school we named western art history. Theres very few we should not history even today. Basically a critique of. History. And no one is really writing serious stuff about subjugation i sort of can barely put into it into a. At Historical Perspective i think its a shame and then. Were not just. You know into the. West in a series in them to see this show. When you put all those things that you grew up with t. V. Of your buddies are misleading or hindu thats a lot of mystical spiritual things that that goes on you know he she grew up with the rituals and all that and how do you place that where you place that because those things are not going to be acceptable. I love indian food so. Well you know and all shell be to. Look at. Over the last almost yeah yeah we do have feet we can dance while swimming but im small yeah we should make it sweet make it sweet. Rebellion rebellious to be questionable you know. But i think a lot of kids dont understand that rebellion is a process you know it has to end up. In some sort of a conclusion you know you rebel against something bad. You have. The projection in mind to make things better you know if you dont just rip rumble but rebel because its special you know because. Remember in the summer job. Its not a career. You remember when you wanted kids and. When ducking going to beijing you see of course cause some conflict. Its a way of gauging social executes they sense you seen you and me and use as pornographic i was in my ear the courage that he had you know to draw things that are not politically correct you know the board up the pings on the new leads in you know and these are things that supposedly the good muslim in a was not doing with selfclosing the raw self you know the conservatives within society but i think its irrelevant to him these are very important ways of challenging the notion of what comprises i think that. You up on and you you die. And i dont think its. So much. An overt sexuality of the human body theres aki s. P. Occupy. You have to go on was a painting that triggered the new series. I couldnt figure out how to make a painting with a new. The mutes was actually a direct response to a smile involved and so it is not something that is ignored in this in fact is contemplated a great deal in. The nature of sexuality which is then related to the nature of being all of these can be fine if used to traditions and at heart i think that is very much so if you see painter. The reason hes not wearing any clothes is because i want him to be in this National State so you could come out and fight him whether. Hes wearing western clothes always been closer or whether he saw this race or that greece you know who he is so universal. It was something totally against islam. But then the works will never man to be about. The system and it has elements of that but it was never meant to be able to go or sexually explicit. When i first started the new series. Responses you know some people think im gay he. Just fired me you know. I dont for him find anything wrong with being gay. Some people thing see. Very few people can connect to something religious so whats wrong with the erotic painting. I dont see anything wrong with it and now if people one to choose to be offended by it thats their right to be offended by it but they dont have a right to impose their values on other people who dont share those values so you know i mean what more i ts they should be totally free you know to paint what they want to paint always remember that some of the most erotic poetry that you have in the world today written by most in this. Dixon people like rumi have peace and i dont and i see that in this light. Although you know the painting is this spring to bury me you know but to complete the work it has to interact with. The public and giving the audience. The minimal of clues that should be. So that you can open up your minds you know im giving you a lot of room to roll to do in the break. Religion and. For me elect wouldnt. Act naturally various traditional subjects in the works. The body down so. The sea life. Actually is the next sauces and we should waltz music. Before there is someone sitting in the house it is very big the process government and plum time because its seen as a muslim. But. They still practice it today but sick of. This other kind of things which which. Interest me. But spiritual side of all this before me says the dance is the musicians you know theyre all. Form called them which is an all female form is very much rooted in the belief that we all possess animal spirits animal spirits and then define our own personalities so we may be eagle we may be. We could be a lion you could be a tiger we could be a wolf. And sometimes you know i mean like. A dirty little animal. You know but also i was a small bit. I saw it in the singapore you you dont want to get pulled if you. You know i was compelled to to make this bobby rush. Into something that this isnt profound even and i can only do that if i inject myself into it i gave this little animal my personality for many people of course its shocking because we have been severed of that mythological tradition and today you go to large parts of Southeast Asia and particularly in malaysia not only are these kinds of myths. Not encouraged they are seriously abused and made illegitimate the current theories are working on. Is. Theyll from the primordial god and. You have that thing within you that i mentioned just. Doing things beautifully. But then you have the other side of you you know the dark side. The more. Disturbing aspects of your personality that has to come out. In islam you know like in bali good and evil six together. Both are creatures of god i see him within a continuum. Of artists who carry this primordial spirit that is very particular to this region when he paints he actually invokes an entire landscape of this of this place that has also very strong historical resonances you do understand you entering a landscape of color and of a sensibility of a temperament and of a kind of spiritual memory. John meldrum. Only go to town leave it might be where i hang out. The watch people you know. After i was in the studio a little you know its nice to so cool to a place where. Theres a crowd. And this is my grandma. And. I know where everyone goes to see when my wife is sleeping and it fits and sleeping that time for me. Was done especially because im a little. Im especially late live you know you know i dont get phone poles and. So its my this is the time i have for myself actually yeah that night after midnight when everyone is asleep during the you know thats my time. Was. This particular series that put the sunni on the disappears series was a series which i wanted to do especially on on on j. B. As a talk because at least once in my career i would like to acknowledge you know that i grew up in where i was born. But disappear into the studio you started on the streets. And in the back alleys behind the streets. I just recall a life of people wholl in the fringes of society. Oh i dont sing i mean. I like to enjoy it was i mean molly mostly it. Is just the plays well i was born you know i grew up here. Its a small town very simple life. The town is growing also i might have to move. In but. You know. The way i was born and i like being here. I dont like the big cities. Oh oh. This is actually life studies which i did so i go on ocean city. We were traveling with a group of indignation artists we ran around saigon looking for model but we couldnt find any of them but in the hand. We found a couple of models and in the brothel actually. Who were willing to pose for us. I dont normally do female nudes. I dont have much of a choice. When youre drawing a minute you know naturally in offices and comes into it you know. Im here i think i try to capture. That sense reality but very quickly. Although its a very conservative country and you have. To be is what you would call the moral police you know you can sure everyone behaves. You know i mean ive been drawing and painting newts for years and. Theyre never bored with me. The female newbies its not anything new isnt it obvious has been growing news for centuries about this just that here in this country people get a bit a bit sensitive. I would prefer drawing the female rather than male myself to see. One nice to see a new man live and for the view was. My children. They go to school. I know what each school you know but you need to look at you know whats going to come home with me. Because im going. To learn an alternate view. And i still go on good stuff exposing them to a lot of things and. Talk to them and. Oif you know to. About susan you know. And especially about. Not being afraid to explore. Not to be afraid of other cultures religion to be able to stay a muslim but still be a man of the world. Dont just play think. Coach of chub learn democracy. The submission games and politics was a bit ask. Critical to general are in russia. How do russian visitors respond. Virtual freedom versus censorship to me. In thirty minutes on d w. Are you up to speed on the latest technology. No then it may be time for an upgrade this becoming part of the future. Become a cyborg i must say words so ive created a new sense and a new organ and design my perception of reality implants that make every day life easier. I use my you can on a daily basis that optimize the human body and connect people more effectively. I hope that this would make us more ethical persons what would life be like as a cyborg. At the end of the day these technologies can be used against us and what we think will happen society does the human race really need an upgrade i think its only the beginning of the. Cyborgs fumin machines starting february first on t w. This is t w news live from a nation shaken by days of unrest should this year marks the second time of a string of the arab spring amid fears of fresh protests over Economic Hardship a reporter in june as has been speaking to the family of a man killed during a protest of this week. Also on the program kitty you think they also possible never forget a shamefaced apology from authorities in hawaii this offer of messages mistakenly sends out warning album