Eyes depicted in mural tell a story of the responsibility frontliners bear

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 -– “This work symbolises the gratitude Malaysians feel for the sacrifices of our leaders and frontliners to conquer COVID-19,” said Abdulrashade aka Abdul Rashid Abdul Raman, one of the artists behind the 232sq m (2,500 sq ft) wall mural unveiled at Klinik Kesihatan Kuala Lumpur.

Work on the two-part mural started on Sept 22 and was finished on Oct 10, with artists using 40 cans of aerosol paint and 10 five litre cans of wall paint.

It was jointly organised by Balai Seni Negara and the Ministry of Health (MOH) in an effort to rejuvenate visual arts activities.

Abdul Rashid said his work is called ‘Rasa’ (feeling) and represents the emotions of unsung heroes who serve as our line of defence against COVID-19.

“The strength of my painting lies in the eyes of a nurse which tells the story of the responsibility on her shoulders to give us peace of mind.

“She must be feeling sad about leaving her loved ones behind because of obligation to work and country,” the owner of Abdulrashade Studio told Bernama.

Abdul Rashid said his extensive mural research included the messages that were written on personal protective equipment (PPE) that went viral on social media and which inspired his painting.

“For example, the image of a mother looking lovingly at her child, of an elderly lady and of a food delivery worker. I also used a lot of green in my work to represent healing and calmness,” said the 36-year-old who has been involved in the arts since 2003.

Another artist involved in creating the mural is Yaulacap aka Dhiyaul Mohamad Ashraf Dawari, 29, whose work is titled ‘We Are Strong Together’ and features two influential people leading the fight against COVID-19: Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Health Director-General, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

“My choice of subject are the images we always saw on TV during the movement control order (MCO). Every day, we would wait in front of the TV for the report on the number of daily cases and to hear the advice to stay at home,” he said.

The full-time artist and owner of Yaulacap Enterprise said the mural documents history and has been created for everyone to appreciate.

“This is one of my ways to say thank you to the country’s leaders and frontliners who made sure infections were under control when the pandemic hit,” he said, while adding that everyone has a role to play in overcoming the COVID-19 crisis.

-- BERNAMA