Artist’s vision of a blooming nation where all belong

KUALA LUMPUR: Loh Siew Yim, a former Universiti Malaya associate professor, never envisioned herself as an artist. Painting had never been her forte; she recalled receiving Cs or Ds for art in her education. Now, her home is adorned with 70 to 80 paintings, predominantly botanical works. Among them, a dozen are featured in "Merdeka in Bloom", an online mini-exhibition launched during Malaysia's Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations.

This marks her first-ever exhibition - an unexpected achievement for someone who does not believe herself to be an artist.

The hibiscus, or bunga raya, holds a special place in Loh's artistic expression. She views the national flower as a metaphor for Malaysia's diversity. "The hibiscus comes in many colors, just like us Malaysians," she explains. "Think of Malaysia as a garden, and we are all the different flowers in this garden. We should learn to live with one another, allow one another to bloom, and harness the differences that make this garden so much brighter and beautiful."

Loh's artistic journey began after retirement in December 2021 from the department of rehabilitative medicine. Initially, she started with paint-by-number kits, gradually progressing to acrylics. "Paint-by-number taught me patience and discipline, but I desired something more - something that allowed me to express my creativity," she said.

The idea for her exhibition came to her while listening to the radio as Malaysia approached Merdeka Day. Loh was dismayed by the radio hosts' emphasis on racial issues, which she believed would not be beneficial for the country.

To convey her message, Loh uses the hibiscus as a symbol of Malaysia's unity in diversity. She employs varied colors and treatment in her paintings, rather than focusing on botanical realism. For Loh, flowers symbolize beauty, fragility, and resilience, which resonate with her past work with cancer survivors through the KeepAble Cancer Community support group. As a cancer survivor herself, Loh organized painting sessions to provide sensory stimulation and a means of engagement for patients.

Loh has embraced technology to create her online gallery, aiming to circumvent the expensive costs associated with private galleries. Her exhibition, "Merdeka in Bloom", hopes to extend its message beyond the canvas. Loh envisions a Malaysia where everyone has an equal opportunity to flourish. "Policies have to be across the board.

It has to be inclusive for everyone so that everyone can bloom together," she emphasizes. In her vision, a country where all individuals are thriving will be a beautiful and fragrant garden. To view Loh's work, follow her on Facebook and TikTok.