‘It is quite tough to be an artist and activist at the same time. I never planned for it to work out this way, but I am embracing it, ’ says Shaq, standing next to his Mah Meri-inspired painting 'Sacred Sea Dance' at Richard Koh Fine Art gallery in KL. Photo: The Star/Glenn Guan
Orang Asli artist Shaq Koyok was just a boy when life in the village as he knew it changed. A land developer came into the jungle surrounding his kampung and got to work.
“I remember lorries carrying logs from the jungle. I also heard chainsaws and trees being felled. I remember how the village roads were damaged and it made it so hard for the villagers to go out, ” recalls Shaq (real name Shahar Koyok), who hails from the Temuan indigenous community in Selangor.
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'Land Of A Thousand Guilts'
‘It is quite tough to be an artist and activist at the same time. I never planned for it to work out this way, but I am embracing it, ’ says Shaq, standing next to his Mah Meri-inspired painting 'Sacred Sea Dance' at Richard Koh Fine Art gallery in KL. Photo: The Star/Glenn Guan
Shaq Koyok's 'Mendraq' (acrylic on canvas, 2021), which shows an Orang Asli child as a tiger. Shaq sees the young Orang Asli as the keepers of the forest, a new generation more equipped to deal with environmental issues and conservation. Photo: The Star/Glenn Guan
Shaq's acrylic on pandanus mat works titled 'Cold Stare' (left) and 'New Hope' seen at his solo art exhibition at Richard Koh Fine Art Gallery. Photo: The Star/Glenn Guan
Shaq's acrylic on bamboo winnowing basket series titled 'Tupas Lepas Tinak' (left) and 'Tupat Lepas Jantan'. Photo: The Star/Glenn Guan
Shaq's 'The Nightmare Of Moyang Bajos' (acrylic on canvas, 2021). Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art
Shaq Koyok's 'Hardy Of Busut Baru' (acrylic on canvas, 2021). Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art
Shaq working on 'Sacred Sea Dance' (arylic on pandanus mat, 2020) in his studio in Titiwangsa in KL. Photo: Shaq Koyok
Shaq’s 'New Hope' (acrylic on pandanus mat, 2020), features a portrait of an Orang Asli teenager.
'Tupat Lepas Jantan' (acrylic on bamboo winnowing basket, 2021).
Shaq’s 'Sacred Sea Dance' (acrylic on pandanus mat, 2020). Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art
Shaq's 'Black' (acrylic on canvas, 2021), which comes from a series of portraits of his Orang Asli villager friends.
Shaq's 'Batek With Pipe' (acrylic on pandanus mat, 2020), a portrait of a Batek woman from Gua Musang in Kelantan. Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art
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