Malay Proverbs by Hyrul Anuar
An exhibition entitled, ‘The Visual Series of Malay Proverbs’ was held at Yasmin, Sekeping Kong Heng from August 15 to 16. The exhibition was the first for Hyrul Anuar, an energetic but humble artist from Sabak Bernam, Selangor.
It all started when his worried father went out to find jobs for him. Hyrul felt touched, especially when their relationship wasn’t smooth sailing. However, as time went by their relationship became better. Hyrul knew his father was proud of his achievements.
“When I was younger, I was often belted by my father for stealing his money to go to cyber cafes. He felt I was wasting my time playing video games but I went there to learn how to use a computer,” he told Ipoh Echo.
Unlike other youngsters who grew up with him, Hyrul was more interested in the world of art. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in the National Art Culture and Heritage Academy (ASWARA) and was working with one of the top advertising companies in the world, Leo Burnett (Kuala Lumpur). From there, Hyrul created colourful campaigns such as ‘The Sparkle Project’ and ‘Galaxy Wonderland’ for Samsung. He represented Malaysia at Adfest Asia Pacific Advertising Festival where he won both of the Young Lotus Competition prizes.
His impressive resume does not end there. In 2014, Hyrul was invited to join Fabrica; United Colors of Benetton’s Communication Research Centre for an internship in Italy. While there he felt terribly homesick and expressed his feelings through digital art.
“Language barrier was one of the many problems why I couldn’t blend in with the locals. I often found myself alone with my phone, missing my family. Two months before I finished my internship, I decided to interpret some Malay proverbs such as ‘Mendukung Biawak Hidup’ (Carrying the Lizard which means doing something useless) and expressed it through technology. My leader found out about it and encouraged me to do more,” said Hyrul.
Among the visitors who attended the event were students of Ave Maria Convent School, Ipoh. He encouraged them to follow their dreams, “Do what you love. Don’t let your parents decide your future. But at the same time, respect them and seek their advice,” he said.
Interested readers who missed the exhibition can call Nicole Chin at 012 235 9164 or check out the official Facebook page of Yasmin, Sekeping Kong Heng for more information.
Ili Aqilah