Monday July 16, 2012
Youngster a born artist
Story and photos by CHERYL HEW
cherylhew@thestar.com.my
FOR some people, their most memorable childhood memory is probably the first time they sat on a plane or managed to swim without floaters.
For Abdul Kareem Jaafar Azzuddin, it would be the first time he picked up a pencil and started drawing.
Full of meaning: Abdul Kareem (right) explaining to visitors the history behind some of his pieces at his exhibition. While it may not mean much to others, it marked the start of Abdul Kareem’s love affair with art, which years later, has culminated with his first solo exhibition.
The 18-year-old Ipoh International School student recently showcased about 100 of his masterpieces in his exhibition titled “The World Through My Eyes” at the Garden Villa in Ipoh.
Intricate: Kareem’s captivating painting of Themis, the Roman Goddess of Justice, is full of symbolism to keep visitors thinking. “When I was a child, I used to just watch my father scribble and draw on random pieces of paper and envelopes, which piqued my interest in creating art of my own.
“I would then begin to draw on my own, creating my own stories, imagining a new world and putting it on canvas,” Abdul Kareem related.
Indeed, the scope of Abdul Kareem’s abilities and imagination is astounding, as shown by the great variety of art pieces housed at the exhibition.
A mother’s love: Abdul Kareem Mother’s Day gift depicts his mother sitting underneath a large, lush tree. On one side there were Chinese paintings of mountains, peacocks and other wonders of nature, laid out in thick black brushstrokes with minimal use of colour, bringing out certain aspects of the paintings.
On another side, visitors were greeted by pencil sketches and Western art, covering subjects from fantasy storylines to Roman goddesses.
One piece that stood out was Abdul Kareem’s gift to his mother for Mother’s Day — a majestic tree painted with vibrant red hues and a solitary figure sitting under its shade.
There were even sculptures and papier-mâché models. In particular, a wire-frame ship studded with shards of glass, a show of his seemingly boundless abilities and imagination.
Unique: A painting of ‘The Porcelain Soprano’, a barely-human diva with 50 interchangeable heads and charms to bewitch any man. Art teacher Michelle Lim, 47, found the exhibition to have amazing variety, a trait she said was rarely present in other art exhibitions she had been to.
“Not many artists who do fine art are able to do handicraft and likewise, proving that Abdul Kareem is really an exceptional case.
“While variety is one thing, the quality is also remarkable, especially the way he brings his subjects to life regardless of what style he is using,” she said.
Abdul Kareem’s grandfather, veterinarian Dr Ng Yook Sun, 76, said he was extremely proud of his grandson’s talents and hard work which made the art exhibition a success.
Flowery: A Chinese painting of a lotus flower by Abdul Kareem. “I find Abdul Kareem to be mature for his age as he has his goals in life set and is pursuing them so earnestly.
“These traits and his endless passion for the arts will spur us, his family, to continue supporting his ambition of becoming an art teacher,” he said.
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