KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 — Meet Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Associate Professor Hasnul Jamal Saidon — a multidisciplinary artist and a pioneer within the native art and tutorial scene.
Having been within the art trade for the reason that early 90’s, Hasnul has curated over 30 native exhibitions, engaged in 18 analysis tasks and gained quite a few awards regionally and internationally.
Amongst his most outstanding exhibitions contains the 1st Electronic Art Show and HYPErview (1997), Takung (2004) and his ongoing multi-medium exhibition H3RO.
He was concerned in designing pioneering art programmes in native universities together with for Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Universiti Malaysia Sabah in addition to USM and is at the moment serving because the USM’s Tuanku Fauziah Museum and Gallery director.
The 59-year-old father of three nonetheless confronted a predicament after being recognized with stage 4 kidney most cancers – which caused a brand new sense of realisation of his art-making course of
In a dialog with eNews Malaysia, Hasnul opened up on how making art has been a vital half of his healing course of.
The course of of making art has been a vital half in Hasnul’s journey to restoration from stage 4 kidney most cancers. — Picture courtesy of Hasnul Jamal Saidon
A State of Silence
Hasnul first realized of his situation in March final yr, and after going via 9 months of medical remedies, he’s now most cancers free.
While remedy performed its function, he additionally identified that taking care of the well-being of his state of thoughts was half the wrestle, as going through most cancers just isn’t solely a bodily battle however an emotional one too.
For Hasnul, preserving a zen state of thoughts required him to at all times be conscious of his ideas and feelings – and amongst the best way he may management them is by being in a state of silence.
Being in a state of silence permits an individual to be in a extra relaxed state of thoughts.
For Hasnul, there are a pair of methods for him to realize this with the primary one via praying and second by making art – each of which permit him to be in a silent mode.
Hasnul additionally mentioned that he would at all times discover tranquillity or in Arabic, to be in a state of ‘khusyuk’ each time he’s deep in making art and that has helped him heal mentally.
“That’s how I face most cancers. Yes, the medical doctors have helped from a medical perspective and I helped myself via these non-tangible paradigms.
“I take care of what I believe and I take care of what I feel- the medical doctors can’t try this for you, solely you are able to do that for you.
“That helps me to be wholesome. It helps me to synchronise with the vitality of the world, with the cosmic dance of creation, the vibration of the earth and with our true nature and art is a really instrumental half of it,” he mentioned.
He added that his works such because the H3RO challenge and his upcoming SENADI challenge had been amongst his cures.
Hasnul with items from his H3RO challenge which has been ongoing effort for the final 10 years. — Picture courtesy of Hasnul Jamal Saidon
Deploying Love and Compassion
For the final 10 years, Hasnul has been deploying his H3RO challenge to native communities in non-conventional methods – from bringing his exhibition to varsities and orphanages to doing exhibits by the seaside or in villages across the nation.
The challenge which centres round his mother and father consists of two brief movies, three to 4 songs and him sharing tales about his mother and father along with a slideshow of them with returning to like and compassion being the principle essence of the challenge.
The challenge additionally contains an interactive session together with his audiences who’re principally from the B40 communities to share their very own experiences and Hasnul admitted his findings have humbled him.
Hearing about fractured households reeling from divorce and abuse, led Hasnul to conclude how it is very important nurture love and compassion in each family.
“If we need to take care of our future, we have to return to this very elementary relationship between youngsters and mother and father, as a result of that may decide the standard of an individual they’ll change into.
“Why I mentioned it’s elementary is as a result of our relationship with our mother and father affect how we face life.
“If you’ve got points, you want to make peace with the difficulty, we have now to be compassionate sufficient and forgive and not many individuals do that,” he mentioned.
Hasnul’s driving focus on love and compassion got here to him a couple of years in the past which began with a notion of ‘returning dwelling’ and upon reflecting on the phrase, he then realised it was rooted to these two values.
He was additional impressed to unfold love and compassion via his arts as a result of of Malaysia’s ageing inhabitants and the regarding outlook of psychological well being points in Malaysia.
“There was a common want for humanity to return to like and compassion as a result of of what’s taking place around the globe and even in Malaysia.
“It’s about time we shift our focus quite than simply focusing on materials development, we have to additionally look into our psychological, emotional and non secular well being.
“And these subjective dimensions are the place artists or folks within the artistic place can do one thing about and have interaction with folks in a wholesome approach, in a approach that may carry folks to like and compassion and hopefully to heal,” he mentioned.
