MR D.I.Y awards over RM100k to winners of their Annual MR D.I.Y. Art Competition 2024

MR D.I.Y. recently hosted the third edition of their annual ‘MR D.I.Y. Art Competition‘, which saw over 1,000 entries from every part of the country. This year, the competition featured two separate categories – the public category and educational institutions category; which saw an encouraging 322 entries from primary and secondary schools nationwide who presented their take on this year’s theme: “Reality of Abstraction”.

“This year’s theme, “Reality of Abstraction” invites artists to explore and depict the relationship between the abstract and the real – creating a sense of the abstract while maintaining a connection to the real world. This theme aims to challenge perceptions, encourage people to see beyond the surface and to consider deeper, more complex interpretations.” – Adrian Ong, Group CEO of MR D.I.Y.

This competition, which seeks to recognise and reward the spirit of creativity and dedication amongst Malaysians, awarded over RM100k in cash prizes to 22 young Malaysian artists at their prize-giving ceremony (which we were at!).

So, let’s take a look at some of the grand prize winners of the competition…

Public Category Grand Prize Winner: Mohd Farizal Puadi (43, art lecturer)

Mohd Farizal Puadi, a lecturer at the Department of Creative Multimedia, at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, walked away with the grand prize of RM15,000 with his winning piece titled ‘Malaysia Madani’. His piece was inspired by the aftermath of Malaysia’s 15th General Election (PRU15), and captured a pivotal moment in national history.

He describes his work as reflecting Malaysia’s diverse and unique character, through the symbolic usage of the national flag. Employing a stitching technique reminiscent of upholstered furniture, it serves as a metaphor for the comfort derived from Malaysia’s societal diversity, with this intricate approach signifying how different threads of culture and heritage are woven together to create a unified and harmonious nation.

Education Category Grand Prize Winner: Iklil Ali Ahmad Shukri (19, student at UiTM)

Iklil Ali Ahmad Shukri, a 19-year old student from Universiti Teknologi Mara, was awarded with RM4,000 with his piece, ‘Surat untuk Dunia: Bertemu Cinta di Garis Horizontal’; demonstrating his journey to becoming an artist. Inspired by his artistic parents, his artwork depicts the lessons he learned from the people around him – conveying that the purity of love which can combat hate, hence transforming the world into a place of harmony and peace.

All the art pieces can be viewed until 30th June at MR D.I.Y. PLUS @ IPC

Now, you can view these works of art for yourself, at MR D.I.Y. PLUS IPC Shopping Centre from the 22nd to the 30th of June 2024. After which, the art will be displayed at the Segaris Art Centre, Publika from the 1st to the 7th of July 2024.

So, if you’re a fan of art, don’t miss your chance to view these pieces in-person for FREE!