Childhood Nostalgia Finds Place On Global Art Canvas

By Atira Khalisha Nor Adnan

PETALING JAYA, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- As visitors wander through a row of realism works in an art exhibition space, many may not realise that the neatly displayed Edenium Blossom painting at Fusion Art Malaysia 2025 holds countless personal memories for Aseerah Shahjahan.

Fresh and striking on a 20x20 centimetre (cm) canvas, the artwork—which took a day to complete—combines relief, or raised painting techniques, created through the delicate touch of Aseerah Shahjahan’s fingers.

According to Aseerah, the piece titled Chaos of Bloom is more than an aesthetic element; it is rooted in childhood memories, as the flower was something she often encountered around her neighbourhood on her way home from school.

Unwilling to let those cherished memories fade, Aseerah, fondly known as Ash, immortalised them in a painting valued at RM1,500.

“This flower has been with me since childhood, accompanying my journey home from school and, without realising it, becoming part of my memories. That sense of nostalgia is what inspired me to make it the subject of my painting,” she told Bernama at the exhibition held at Capital Fine Art Gallery.

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Ash, who is currently pursuing a Diploma in Management at Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNITAR), said the painting is her first work after nearly two years away from painting, having only acquired basic art training during her school years.

She admitted facing challenges at the initial stage when sharing exhibition space with local and international professional artists such as Hamid Mohamed, Premi Subramaniam and Prakashan Kuttamath. However, she did not view this as an obstacle, instead treating it as a source of motivation.

As it had been some time since she last expressed her artistic talent on canvas, the Kuala Lumpur-born artist had to revise techniques online to ensure she could achieve the desired relief effect.

Ash shared that besides using acrylic paint, she relied solely on basic household items such as combs, toothpicks and cotton buds. Interestingly, the imprint of her cat’s paw—after it accidentally stepped on the still-wet painting—also became part of the artwork’s artistic elements.

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“At that time, it was midnight and I was still frustrated because the painting didn’t have the raised effect I was hoping for. Coincidentally, my cat jumped onto the canvas while the paint was still wet.

“I panicked at first, but after lifting the cat, I was amazed that the paw prints created the texture I had been longing for. It felt as though it was meant to be,” she shared with a laugh.

Ash, an only child, said there were moments when she nearly gave up after failing to achieve the  desired results, but she chose instead to take a break, pray, and revisit her old school-time artworks for inspiration.

She did not rule out the possibility of becoming active in the art world again, even if only as a hobby, as art has long been an integral part of her life.

“Art will always be a space for me to relieve stress. Perhaps one day I will paint again, God willing. For now, I am grateful that after two years, I was finally able to complete this piece,” she said.

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Fusion Art Malaysia 2025, which runs from Dec 20 to 31, features a diverse range of local and international works on a single platform, with participation from artists representing 20 countries.

The event aligns with efforts to strengthen the nation’s arts and cultural ecosystem, in line with the aspirations of Visit Malaysia Year 2026, which emphasises the role of the arts in the tourism sector.

-- BERNAMA