Artist Captures Malaysia’s Evolution Through Pen Drawings For VMY 2026

By Mohd Afiq Zulkifli

SHAH ALAM, Jan 15 (Bernama) — Using a pen as her medium, artist Yuslinda Yusof has captured Malaysia’s transformation from the pre-colonial era to the modern nation it is today, in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2026.

Yuslinda, better known by her pen name Roselin, 49, said the artwork, titled Malaysiaku: Bermulanya Di Sini, is arranged as a visual narrative to be read from bottom to top — beginning with life before independence, followed by the colonial era, independence, and finally modern Malaysia.

“The opening section of the drawing depicts village life before independence, including traditional Malay houses, paddy fields, village plants and livestock as symbols of a self-sustaining way of life.

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“As the drawing enters the colonial era, I included elements such as rubber tapping activities, trishaws and shophouses, as well as historical symbols like the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and the National Monument, which represent the struggle and sacrifice in the fight for independence.

“The upper section illustrates modern Malaysia through development elements such as oil palm plantations, the Proton Saga as the first national car, public transport systems, Malaysia Airlines aircraft, and Kuala Lumpur’s skyscrapers,” she told Bernama when met at her home here recently.

Roselin said she took about eight months to complete the artwork, beginning with research and reading historical materials before translating them into pencil sketches, which were then refined using a fine-tip pen.

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Produced in monochrome — black and white — except for two subjects, namely the Malaysian flag and the country’s first light rail transit system, the STAR LRT, she said the approach ensures the audience remains focused on the story and structure of the drawing.

“In that regard, every line, shape and shadow plays an important role in conveying meaning and helping to highlight the details and narrative arrangement in this work,” she said, adding that the artwork was created entirely by hand, with each line built up gradually to form structure and shading.

“Drawing with a pen inevitably comes with mistakes because the sketch cannot be erased, so I have to correct errors using lines and ‘hatching’ techniques so that the mistakes are not obvious,” she explained.

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Roselin, a former landscape architect, said the work was published in a limited edition of 20 prints to ensure quality and exclusivity, and is her personal creative contribution in introducing Malaysia in conjunction with VMY 2026.

“This drawing also conveys the message that Malaysia’s beauty lies not only in colourful visuals, but also in the meaning, history and soul of the homeland.

“Therefore, I hope visitors will see Malaysia not merely as a tourist destination, but as a country whose history, nature and identity are deeply interconnected,” she said.

-- BERNAMA