“Pengasuh Perasaan” (“Emotional Caretakers”) is absolutely stunning. It depicts three humanoid plant caretakers watching over a little yellow fruit bud under the draping leaves of a willowy plant. His use of different shades of green and yellow complement each other harmoniously, quite like the message of the painting itself - to nurture the wounded inner child in all of us. The use of feminine figures as the caretakers also hint at a gentleness and femininity that lives in all of us, regardless of gender, and how we can use the divine feminine to continually heal ourselves in ways that only we can do for ourselves.

His piece, “Rasa Rindu” (“The Feeling of Longing”) depicts two little leafy creatures in each other’s company, looking up at the moon. The sense of longing did indeed translate well because I, too, ended up feeling it upon looking at this painting. The creatures look so small and so helpless, in stark contrast to the ginormous moon that they are under - quite like humans in real life.

It is very apparent that Nadhir gets his inspiration for the creatures he brings to life from the otherworldly beings of old Malay folklore. His most humorous title, “Siti Nur Sunyi”, features a little creature in a leaf hijab, making it feel all the more personal. The rush of chasing modernity, and increasing Islamisation, have resulted in a loss of touch with Nusantaran culture here in Malaysia - outside the usual ghost tale or two. It feels like a reclamation of identity that he uses his work to inspire fellow youths to turn back and fully indulge in their cultural roots. Whether we choose to believe it or not, we often forget how rich the culture truly is in this part of Asia, with roots pre-dating Abrahamic religions and imperialism.