Shaq

Shaq, a contemporary artist and activist from the Temuan Orang Asli tribe in Banting, southwest Selangor state Malaysia, is known for merging art and activism into a glorious hybrid. His fondest memories are fishing in the nearby peat swamp and hunting small animals in the jungle. In primary school, he discovered art, a passion which shaped the course of his life. 

In his early year, the land developer has encroached the jungle around his village and now it reflecting in his many works, that trauma in his childhood has fuelled his passion and led his to fight for his people land rights. For many years now, he is a common face at protests, standing shoulder to shoulder with activists to demand equal rights for Orang Asli folk.

Additionally, through art, he frequently expresses the plight of the indigenous communities scattered across Malaysia with his bold brush strokes. His work depicts gorgeous portraits of everyday Orang Asli people, with powerful stories that cling tightly to the canvas he paints on.