Better late than never: At 71, Malaysian artist Sharifah Aziah Ben Yahya holds first solo exhibition
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — She’s been painting all her life and now she’s finally fulfilled her dream of having her first solo exhibition at the age of 71.
Called Reflections, it showcases over 40 works of artist Puan Sri Sharifah Aziah Ben Yahya, who enjoys working with all mediums including even magic markers.
Aziah said having an art exhibition when she was younger was not possible as she was with her husband in Bahrain and London who worked as a banker.
Additionally, her children were still young then.
Then her husband got into politics when they returned to Malaysia.
“We were focused on him and I followed him everywhere he went,” she said of her husband, former politician and Cabinet minister Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar.
“So now that it’s our golden age and we’re retired, it’s now or never, when else?” she said of her decision to have the exhibition.
Aziah with oil on canvas London ‘69 —- the year she got married at the Msian High Commission and Tunku Abdul Rahman did the sprinkling of the holy water ceremony. Pic courtesy of Nora Albar
Describing her passion for art as a gift, she’s been drawing and painting since she was in preschool.
“I have this need in me to draw and paint,” said Aziah.
“Once I’m inspired, I can’t stop and I paint into the wee hours of the morning.”
When she was 13, her dad took her for classes with the great master portrait painter Datuk Hoessein Enas, who taught her how to capture the likeness of a person and put it in the painting.
“He would come to my easel and make corrections,” she recalled.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher, I’m utterly thankful I was under his tutelage.”
In the 1960s, Aziah studied fashion design at the Paris Academy of Fashion in London but she never stopped painting.
Perfecting her art was something she continued to do as Syed Hamid’s wife.
The best part about being a minister’s wife was visiting all the art museums she could when she accompanied him on trips all over the world.
“I would visit the art museums in New York, Paris and Madrid and see all the original paintings we can’t see here.”
To date, she has painted hundreds of paintings and is loath to part with them.
“They’re like my children,” said the Kedah-born KL-raised mother of six.
“I can’t bear to be separated from them.”
On how her practice has changed with time, she said: “With art, it’s practice. I improve as I learn more effective techniques.
“I also learn from observing other people’s work.”
Reflections will be on from February 20 to 26 at The International Gallery, KLGCC Resort from 10am-6pm.
Admission is free and Aziah encourages one and all to come on February 22 onwards.
“The first couple of days, I’ll be busy with the launch but I’ll be free to talk to anyone who wants to from the 22nd onwards.”
