UMN VCD Students Learn About an Artist’s Life with Prof Azril from ASWARA Malaysia

Public Lecture With Prof. Azril (Dok. UMN)

TANGERANG – On the 17th of September, Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN) invited Dr. Khairul Azril Bin Ismail (Acting Rector for Academic Affairs) from ASWARA (Akademi Seni Budaya Dan Warisan Kebangsaan) as a guest lecturer to discuss about an artist’s life to the UMN Visual Communication Design (VCD) department.

“To speak about my ongoing work is an exploratory life that I do have. I explore all the darkened spaces and animatic ways of life. However, in the way which I look at it, this is a struggle,” Azril said, introducing his work and opening his presentation. He said that an artist’s life is never easy.

Azril shared that despite being an artist and practicing art for a long time, defining art and design is never easy, and even he is trying to figure out the meaning. He said it is because the meaning changes constantly as people and things change.

He then shared some of his works, focusing on his prison-related projects. Azril detailed the process of creating his “PUDU JAIL” projects and how he felt working on them. He has been visiting various prisons across Malaysia, trying to understand the narratives behind them, and this has taught him various lessons.

Through Azril’s work and the use of virtual reality (VR), he wants to bring the audience into prison. Azril showed pictures of the prison walls filled with graffiti and art. He said that by being inside the prison and looking at the walls, he started to see how the world works and how the words on the wall work.

“Being entrapped, your identity is to be ripped out, and then what’s to be pushed out of the way is actually what’s left from the inside,” Azril said.

He realized how destructive humans can be. The portfolio he showcased does not include all the things he saw. There are some visuals that he chooses not to showcase as they are too much for people to see.

Azril’s “PUDU JAIL” project has been exhibited multiple times and is still an ongoing exhibition by the prison department. His project allows people to see and feel what it’s like behind the prison walls. He also wrote poetry, but it’s unpublished.

“It’s not about publishing because I believe in one principle– why do I do art? Is it for show? Is it for exhibition? Is it for reward? I say no. it is about the mood,” Azril said.

After Azril’s presentation, a Q&A session was held. It is hoped that Azril’s experience can inspire students to create art that inspires, evokes emotions, and evokes experience.

“The goal is how you can really design an artwork that you can be proud of, and that can deliver an emotional message to your target audience,” Azril said.

By Levina Chrestella Theodora

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

Kuliah di Jakarta untuk jurusan program studi Informatika| Sistem Informasi | Teknik Komputer | Teknik Elektro | Teknik Fisika | Akuntansi | Manajemen| Komunikasi Strategis | Jurnalistik | Desain Komunikasi Visual | Film dan Animasi | Arsitektur | D3 Perhotelan , di Universitas Multimedia Nusantara. www.umn.ac.id