Artist Ahmad Shukri Mohamed is currently showcasing a collection of mixed-media paintings and a wall installation in an exhibition titled IlmuAdab at Sareng Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, running through September 19. The exhibition’s title, which combines the concepts of knowledge and ethics, reflects the central themes that Shukri explores through his work.
Shukri, 57, co-founder of Patisatu Studio in Puncak Alam, Selangor, and a founding member of the 1990s arts collective Matahati, is known for his thoughtful and deliberate creative process. He allows ideas to mature over months or years before translating them into artwork. His practice involves layering imagery with Jawi script or Bahasa Malaysia words to deepen the connection between visual and linguistic meaning.
A prominent piece in the exhibition, Rumah Ibu, is a three-panel work occupying the rear wall of the gallery. It features positive words such as "Sayang" (love), "Bahagia" (happiness), and "Ikhlas" (sincerity) on its central panel, while the two outer wooden panels are sourced from the artist’s old home in Klang. Shukri describes the piece as a reflection on education beginning within the intimate space of the home, emphasizing the challenge of preserving values over time rather than merely establishing them.
The exhibition also pays homage to the classroom environment through a six-panel installation that incorporates vintage class photographs, chalkboards, and colors of the Malaysian flag. Shukri highlights the importance of early communal learning experiences, referring to chalkboards as one of the first spaces where knowledge was shared during his own schooling in Kota Baru, Kelantan. He reflects on the school as a place not only for acquiring knowledge but also for learning coexistence in a multicultural society.
Several paintings reproduce the covers of historical books significant to Malayan governance, culture, and natural history. These include works such as Cara Pemerintahan Tanah Melayu (1957–1963) by Tan Sri Datuk Abdullah Ayub, Asas Kebudayaan Kebangsaan (1973), H.B. Gilliland’s Common Malayan Plants (1958), and a biography of Kelantanese religious scholar Tok Kenali. Shukri views these books as symbols of an era when societal cohesion was actively cultivated through guidance in government, education, spirituality, and nature.
The artist deliberately incorporates visual elements like termite damage on the painted cover of Common Malayan Plants to symbolize the fragility of knowledge that can be lost if not preserved or properly engaged. Shukri contrasts this slower, reflective process of knowledge acquisition with the rapid, sometimes uncritical absorption of information encouraged by modern technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Shukri emphasizes ethics as a threefold concept involving one’s relationship with God, society, and nature. He underlines the importance of respectful engagement across religious and racial differences within Malaysia, as well as responsibility toward the environment. For him, knowledge is not merely to be acquired but must be valued, internalized, and applied thoughtfully to benefit others and sustain future generations.
In an age of accelerating technological change, Shukri advocates for a slower approach to learning and sharing information, grounded in the origins and impacts of knowledge on personal understanding. Through IlmuAdab, he invites viewers to reflect on the ethical dimensions of knowledge and the foundational role of education and culture in shaping society.