Character Inspiration
The characters in my most recent series ('Contemplation') are mostly full-figured women in a contemplative state of being.
This was purposely chosen due to my own personal journey with my body image.
'The Venus of Willendorf' was the first inspiration for this series' characters. I was exposed to her existence back in 2020, when I was in art college, and she left an everlasting impression on me.
Why?
Because all my life up till then, I've only consumed media with depictions of slim-figured women as the standard of beauty throughout the ages. From the slender sculptures of Greek and Egyptian goddesses to the dainty depictions of women in fairytale illustrations, "thin" was the celebrated female form.
Growing up in Malaysia, the Malaysian mass media spurs the culture of body-shaming as well. Having any semblance of fat on your arm, tummy, and anywhere else, will get you impaled by destructive comments from every direction – parents, aunties and uncles, siblings, friends etc. This was the bubble I was living in.
And even though I was greatly inspired by 'The Venus of Willendorf' sculpture, I was still very much afraid and abhorred my body. So, I continued on the given trajectory of what beauty is and illustrated the only beauty ideal that seemed to matter to everyone.
One of the first few character pieces I drew in the early part of my art career (2016). It was inspired by a poem I wrote during my creative writing class in university. Most of my art was inspired by poetry I wrote back then. The title of this piece is 'A Night - A Chance'.
This piece, titled 'She is', was created and sold in 2016, when I was 26 years old.
This was a commissioned piece I did for a kindred spirit in Germany. Created and sold in 2016.
'Passive Fingers' was created in 2017 and sold in 2021 (It’s home is in Malaysia).
Then in 2017, I decided to create my first curvy character. She was an accompaniment to a poem I wrote, titled 'Guillotine', that reflected one of my many experiences with the body shaming culture. The image of 'The Venus of Willendorf' sculpture in all her glory was present in the creation of this piece too. Gifting me confidence.
She shattered the mental boundary I had and pushed me to see beyond what was mass-embraced. She showed me that other forms can exist and there are communities out there who embrace other forms of the female figure. And after being diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), her form grew more relatable to me.
There are some characters in the series who are slim, as the world isn’t made up of purely curvaceous women either. But the incorporation of a form that most resembles my own is something new that I am exploring for myself. It is a journey where I am embracing the truth of who I am and how that is just as beautiful and complete as any other being that holds space in this world.