Tiaran Profile – Shukor Yahya

Artist-philosopher, that is how I would term Abdul Shukor Yahya, a Tiaran at Queen's since 2005. With his shoulder-length hair, glasses and a goatee, he struck me more as a professor than an artist.

Shukor is passionate about doing something that has never been done in the art world before. He liked doing a job well, and did not bother taking into account the popularity of certain genres. As such, he did a Calligraphy Series for his Islamic works, and a Cliché Series, for "the younger generation to understand History", he said.

The first focused on his calligraphy flair. Paintings of his Islamic Series encompassed the many divine names of God and "words that related to ways of remembering God according to Islam", he explained. They were produced with the aim of reintroducing God to the masses. The calligraphy in such works was rendered in a lighter pigment in a three dimensional manner, making the words easy to read and understand, combining beauty, philosophy and meaning to the works.

One of Shukor's works has been featured in a book, “Mightier than Sword", jointly published by the Islamic Art Museum of Malaysia and the British Museum. Co-author Dr Heba Nayel Barakat described the work, which showcased the statement as a "wonderful and serene composition, composed of tiny drops in a plenitude of colours."

Two years ago, the talented artist won three prizes at Malaysia's first Arabic and Chinese Calligraphy Competition, themed, "Treat Others as You would Like to be Treated,”

His normal calligraphic works retail for between RM2, 000 to RM3, 000 apiece.

His other genre, Cliché Art, was a brand new art form he introduced in 2005. He was careful to explain that this was different from Pop Art. Pop art styles were created from mechanical images that hid all evidence of the artist's handwork. For example, Pop painters blew up photographs with screen painting and airbrush techniques to achieve the surface characteristic of anonymous mass-produced imagery for advertising, food packaging and comic strips.

Though people familiar about Art may be quick to point out that Cliché Art is also Pop Art in character, Tiara's prize- winning artist begs to differ. His work differs in form, with satire, political and social subject matter and overtones, he said. His form is different, which is to express his experiences during his time, "exposing the exposed", showcasing the actions done by man during the late twentieth century and the new millennium.

So we have large pictures of Saddam Hussein, and his statement "The real war criminal is George W. Bush", or Tunku Abdul Rahman, "Ta apa.” the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, "I never lie", Osama bin Laden, "I 'm innocent", or former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir, "Apa nama?"

Twenty of Shukor's works, themed "Exposing the Exposed", were exhibited last year at the lobby of the New Straits Times building in Bangsar, KL. It grabbed the attention of numerous media, print and television, attracting the public, art fraternity as well as politicians in the country.

These were later again exhibited, with three additions, at the National Art Gallery of Malaysia in KL, officially launched by Dato' Sri Dr.Rais Yatim, Minister of Art, Culture and Heritage, and received tremendous attention by the public, with television and print media coverage.

Shukor received his training as a graphic designer, not in fine arts. Does he accept that artists are perceived as dreamers, can be flamboyant and often possess that much vaunted artistic temperament often associated with people in this field?

Shukor does not agree. He felt that working in advertising agencies made him practical and business minded. Ad agencies produced artistic work to sell products, collaborating with marketers, and hence were far from being dreamers.

He has held high posts in McCann Erickson and Wings, was Artist in Residence at the Raja Azhar Gallery in Melbourne, lecturer in the Media Study Department of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, Art Director for Bates Asia as well as Idris Associates, and the Creative Director for Merit Design Consultants, KL.

With numerous awards to his name, Shukor also holds a Bachelor in Graphic Design from the MARA Institute of Technology and a Masters in Art from De Montfort University, Leicester.

He is married to Puan Aziah, who works in the Linguistics Faculty of Universiti Malaya. They have two daughters and a son.

Tiara Times wishes you all the very best, Shukor, and may you win more awards.