By Norhidayyu Zainal
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- The word ‘independence’ holds a different meaning for everyone. Beyond symbolising a nation’s freedom, it is also reflected in how individuals live their lives and value the freedom they have.
For multidisciplinary artist Norhayati Kaprawi, 60, this meaning is expressed through 15 artworks showcased at the Puan-Tastic Festival on Aug 14 and 15, held in conjunction with National Month at the GMBB creative community mall in Bukit Bintang here.
As a women’s rights activist Norhayati, better known as Yati Kaprawi, views independence from two main perspectives — the freedom of a nation and women’s personal freedom to live without pressure and harassment while having the space and time for themselves.
“For women, we usually carry a double burden, working not only in the office but also at home.
“So, women need time for themselves and should feel safe in public spaces without fear of being harassed or disturbed. To me, that is a form of personal freedom that is immensely valuable,” she told Bernama.
The Batu Pahat, Johor-born artist, who also produces documentary films and animations, said half of her works feature prominent women, based on research by academic, social anthropologist and women’s rights activist Dr Rusaslina Idrus.
She said Rusaslina was among the co-founders of the ‘Sejarah Wanita’ digital project in 2012, which aimed to document, preserve and highlight the stories of women whose contributions have often been overlooked in Malaysia’s mainstream historical narratives.
“My biggest challenge was not simply creating the images, but selecting a moment or element that could represent the life journey of a particular figure as their histories are so rich. At the same time, I had to ensure that the visuals could convey their stories while capturing people’s attention,” she said.
Yati said she chose printmaking, particularly block printing, as her artistic medium because she wanted to see more women artists remain active in the field.
She said art exhibitions could also serve as a means of public education, particularly for younger generations who may be less familiar with the women who played significant roles in the nation’s history.
She also hoped exhibitions of this nature would encourage young people to engage with history and understand that the nation’s independence was not achieved without sacrifice.
She said understanding the sacrifices of previous generations is crucial to fostering greater appreciation of the significant contributions made by women to the formation of Malaysia and the country’s harmony.
She added that in an era of technology where information could spread rapidly, people must also assess information from different perspectives and avoid being easily influenced by fake news or inflammatory content.
Each artwork displayed at the Puan-Tastic Festival was priced at RM1,000 and above, with proceeds from the two-day exhibition channelled to the SIS Forum (Malaysia) fund.
-- BERNAMA