SHARIFAH NAJIAH

Sharifah Najiah has been interested in art since she was a child. She started to get more about her interest in art when she does well during her primary school days and by taking up Art Club as her co-curriculum activities (CCA) and having Art and Design as one of her school subjects during her secondary school days.

 

In 2004 and 2005, Sharifah was awarded the Best in Art and Design for two consecutive years. She is currently studying at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), a third year Diploma in Fine Art majoring in western painting. To earn some profits, Sharifah is working for the Junior Arts in NAFA as a part-time teacher assistant and at Learning Planet art school (LPN) as a part-time teacher. Sharifah is not only learning to improve her art painting skills, she is also keen in therapeutic art. She is currently researching on art therapy and is going to pursue a career on becoming an art therapist.

Artist’s statement
In this developed country like Singapore, the ageing population is being overlooked by society. The elderly are mistreated or not taken care of properly, they are being left alone making their own living, earning  their own money without even any blood relatives giving them any support or help.

 

I am voicing out for them, making public awareness in a way that the elderly are not being treated correctly in a sense that they do not have the freedom to speak out. They do have their own rights, their thoughts and emotions are mostly fragile and must not be taken lightly.

 

Coming of age also mean becoming like a baby all over again. That explains the bright candy-like colors for my background. The elderly portray their inner emotions louder through facial expressions and body language. That is what I’m trying to convey in my paintings about what mixed emotions felt and dwelt with and I hope the message gets through.